Citing Russian Moves, NATO Plans New Deployments.

The head of NATO pledged on Wednesday to immediately step up military patrols along its vast eastern border in response to mounting evidence of Russian interference in Ukraine.

The announcement by Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, appeared to be another sign that the confrontation with Russia over Ukraine was becoming more acute. But Mr. Rasmussen emphasized that the move was designed to be a deterrent rather than preparation for conflict.

“Our decisions today are about defense, deterrence and de-escalation,” Mr. Rasmussen said in a statement posted on the NATO website. “NATO will protect every ally and defend against any threat against our fundamental security,” he said. . .

Mr. Rasmussen said the decision on Wednesday meant that aircraft would fly more sorties over the Baltic region and “allied ships will deploy to the Baltic Sea, the Eastern Mediterranean and elsewhere, as required.”

In addition, military personnel will deploy “to enhance our preparedness, training and exercises,” he said. “We will have more planes in the air, more ships on the water, and more readiness on the land,” he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/17/world/europe/nato-ukraine.html?hp&_r=0