The Ministry of defence of Germany will spend ? 20 million more than planned, to conduct military exercises in 2015 in connection With the Ukrainian crisis, said on Thursday the official representative of the Agency in response to the request of the faction LEFT.

"base to increase spending From 70 to almost 90 million euros have become NATO exercises in the Eastern regions ", - quotes the messenger of the Ministry of defence of the German media.

in total, 154 thousands of soldiers of the Bundeswehr will take In the current year, the participation in international exercises. This is slightly less than last year (160 thousand), but more than in 2 times in comparison With 2013, then in such maneuvers involved almost 73 thousand soldiers.

Only in Poland and the Baltic countries in 16 different exercises involved 4, 4 thousand soldiers of the Bundeswehr. From September 28 to October 16, more than 35 thousand troops from 35 countries, among them 3 thousand German soldiers will take part in exercise Trident Juncture in Italy, Spain and Portugal.

The LEFT faction in the Bundestag was critical of the conduct of these maneuvers. According to the Deputy of the Heike Hensely, quoted by the online version of the weekly magazine Spiegel, the purpose of these activities is " in the Ukrainian conflict to aggravate relations With Russia and to put at risk the peaceful order in the European Union ". Funds for military training, According to the Deputy, it would be worthwhile to send in aid to the Ukrainian population or refugees.

sections: Politics