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Russia began testing missiles with live munitions in the Baltic Sea in a "demonstration of force" as the UK was warned the Skripal poisoning case 'will not end well'.
The drills on Wednesday alarmed NATO member Latvia, which says it has been forced to partly shut down Baltic commercial airspace and claimed Russian drills have never taken place so near
its territory.
The Russian defence ministry said earlier in the week that its Baltic Fleet, based in its European zone, Kaliningrad, was preparing for routine training in the Baltic Sea, including live fire drills to practice hitting air and sea targets.
"It is a demonstration of force," Latvia's Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis told Reuters.
"It is hard to comprehend that it can happen so close to (our) country," he added.