Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on Monday that Moscow will deploy nearly twenty new military formations and units near its western borders by the end of the year in response to actions by the transatlantic NATO alliance.

“The actions of our Western colleagues are destroying the world’s security system and force us to take adequate countermeasures,” the Interfax news agency cited Shoigu as saying.

“Around 20 military formations and units will be formed in the Western Military District by the end of the year,” Shoigu said.