eating point for people who live here. so months would address crush me is political struggles, while authorities have closed it for extended periods in the past, it's closure now has raised concerns about religious freedom, ruba holl, ard, threw in these times you're seeing unprecedented suppression pressure. and tyranny across india, parts clearly and kashmir, where even religious god drinks are not loved. are gram mosque plays a central role. it's closure and the case in these claims of secularism and democracy. the government has also blamed the pandemic and says it will last local authorities for a security review to reopen the mosque. but cushman is a skeptical and say new delhi has made similar excuses in the past to crack down on their freedoms. pardon him, they'll al jazeera new delhi. ah, this is our missouri, these, your top stories, ukraine and russian back separatists of accused each other of shelling,

possessions in the east and dumbass region. and his 500 explosions had been recorded in less than 24 hours along the front lines. america's top diplomat has the keys moscow of looking to manufacture a pretext for war and sleep. lincoln was speaking at a un security council meeting to discuss the crisis on ukraine's order. russia has continued to deny that he plans to attack us more. i have no doubt that the response to my remarks here to day will be more dismissal from the russian government about the united states, stroking hysteria, or that it has no plans to invade ukraine. so let me make the symbol the russian government can announce to day, with no qualification equivocation or deflection that russia will not invade ukraine. stated clearly stated plainly to the world and then demonstrate it

by sending your troops your tanks, your planes, back to their bearers can hangers and sending your diplomats to the negotiating table. france and european allies have announced the withdrawal of troops from molly to fy, saying, armed groups, finality, 10 years that they will continue what they call a joint action against terrorism in the hell region. hospitals and testing facilities in hong kong are buckling under the pressure of a major coven. 19 out break. the was since the pandemic began fills up to capacity in patients being treated in make shift openness spaces the tears you reported a record of nearly 4300 cases on wednesday, 40 times higher than the daily rate at the start of the month. okay, as your headline news continues here in, out there out in side story, stay with us. ah,

russian aggression is europe's new normal. that's according to me til which is considering sending more troops to central and eastern europe. but will the plan protect the continent or worse intentions with moscow? this is inside story. ah hello and welcome to the program. i'm how a job. we face a crisis in european security. that's the warning from nato secretary general. insult and berg says,

the threat of russia invading ukraine shows moscow is prepared to use force to undermine the core principles of the western military alliance. for its part, russia says its troops are now pulling back. it released videos of convoys leaving crimea, which russia annexed from ukraine in 2014, but instead of pulling out the u. s argues and other 7000 russian soldiers have arrived at the border with ukraine. stilton burg says europe needs stronger defenses. he's proposed sending more soldiers to central and eastern europe as part of new nato battle groups. i think what we are seeing now is a kind of new norm, old for european security. because we have seen these trend over many years where russia contest from the mental principles for european security on where there are a and a way where they're willing to, to, to use force of done against ukraine, georgia. but also to threaten us with the use of force to intimidate countries

in, in europe. a battle group is the main forward block of an armies fighting force. it's usually made up of about $1500.00 soldiers. nato deployed combat ready battle groups to estonia, lot fia lithuania and poland. in 2014, after russia annexed ukraine's crimea region. in total, there are more than $4600.00 multinational troops in the baltic states and poland. an attack on any of them would be considered an attack on nato. those army units hold regular exercises, including the annual winter camp, which is one of nato's largest military drills with around $1400.00 soldiers taking part. now, right, let's bring in our guests in brussels. theresa fallon, the founder and director of the center for russia, europe, asia studies in belfast. alexander teet off a lecturer at queen's university. belfast who specializes in russian foreign policy

and in the estonian capital talon cadre leak a senior policy fellow at the european council on foreign relations whose research focuses on russia, eastern europe, and the baltic region. a warm welcome to you all, and thanks for joining the program today. teresa, let me start with you. so nato secretary general un salt and berg says the russian aggression is the new normal for europe. what exactly does this mean? i think in today's press conference after the ministerial meeting here at nato headquarters in brussels, that they are expecting a long, drawn out high pressure tactics from russia. so this is not something that these exercises are going to wind up as the russians are pretending. but he expects it to be a very long drawn out experience. so this means that our seeing kind of a challenge to the helsinki agreements are back in 1975 that soviet union designed as well as western countries. and this is kind of challenging, you know,

don't change borders through power moves and who tim is really pushing hard to do said that we might be returning back to y'all to just kind of the spheres of influence. and i think one of the most telling signs is that troops all the way from russia as far east, i moved towards ukraine border, which means that there is a taste and degree taste it agreement between moscow and beijing. and to cooperate on this. and i think that sends a very we're insight into the rest of the world is kind of russia, china cooperation. alexander, let's look at this from the perspective of the russians when russian president vladimir putin. here is the insult and berg use the phrase, new normal that this is the new normal for europe. what his viewpoint, what is potent, think of that? well, i think what you would say that's what we've been wanting you for many, many years of us. there are problems we want to kind of do with them. you can just

brush our concerns aside. and now you haven't listen to us now. you can after with this new normal. and so 1st williams concerned, i've been investing a lot of money into the army navy and so forth. busy and also been willing to use them and have you having use them already. i. he is more happy with this new norm than, than the europeans. i think you can brush, arrives them into an engaging with russia on things which are important to russia. and we have to resubmit it also. i think it's not so far, which is concerned not, not saying it's it's, it's a good thing, but i think from what point of view, most cool, they're happy with the country. so we know now that nato is considering these new battle groups in southeastern europe, in response to russian military build up. of course, there are battle groups that exist in baltic countries. they've been there since 2014, as a response to russia's annexation of crimea. have these battle groups that were

placed there by nato in baltic countries worked in practice. well, that is hard to onset because we don't know what would have happened without them. but what i can say is, of course they have made the country's feel more secure. were different opinions as to how and why the baltic states are even endangered by what russia is, is doing some people in the baltic states think when russia occupies you cry, and it will move to the baltic states. next. i don't belong in, but can't. i don't think it's russia railey has ambitions to gain control of the baltic states or to restore the so yet union or anything like that. but i think that if tensions reach a boiling point in a me of a theater, be your crane or syrian o,

wherever the tension between west and, and russia reach new heights. then actually an accidental clash in the baltic region cannot be excluded or russia making use of the board, the territory as a place where to signal its displeasure with nato stance and swear. and i think to insure against such incidents, the troops here have been very useful indeed. theresa, i saw you nodding along to some board. condra was saying, did you want to jump in? well, i think that would not attack any nato member because that would trigger article 5 . so i think of country noted though, when you have so many troops, there is a high incidental possible accident. so even today we saw the dog and there was a showing of a school. so i think that the movements are signaling reassurance, but also hopefully deterrence. and there are concerns of spillage. and if god

forbid, there is some sort of conflict in you can because they have to be prepared for the worst that these troops are center to kind of strengthen border and prepare for possible millions of refugees moving from from ukraine. so i think that tensions are extremely high, and the fact that they even met with georgia as the georgia minister, as well as ukrainian ministry today, signals that they're not backing down nato is not backing down on their open door policy, which i think must irritate moscow 3, so let me also follow up with you about the issue of these battle groups when it comes to the potential creation and deployment of more nato battle groups. what kind of time frame do you think we're looking at? i think it will take a little while, but i think they're, they're moving. they already have this kind of rotational approach. so they have one 3rd of the time with nato, when they're in the time with you. and then one 3rd of the time with their own national group. so i think it's

a multinational function and it wouldn't take too long. i don't imagine that it would take very long to really get it up and running. lloyd austin also spoke about that today at the press conference. and i think that they're talking about a couple of weeks. so it remains to be seen. but i don't think that it will take that long. really. there is a urgency here. alexander wouldn't the creation of these new battle groups really just further antagonize russia? i mean, what can we expect as a response from russian president putin? well, i think there are, there are a whole series of issues which russians are unhappy about the troops. a battle groups which are really, as you know, was sent in more kind of normal confidence boosting and you know, in the, in the baltic states themselves, in poland are all then, you know, any threat to roger or even that any real barrier to russian

invasion. if it ever came to that is not the main issue, i think, and of issues of nato in further enlargements, in ukraine, georgia. but also need a corporation in military support for you. grain is something much more worrying for russia. they won't make it much wider than you grand. what ukraine is still the core concern of them. i mean, so before we can deal with things which i already inside nato, we trotta has no interest and the acceptance that of the countries to join it will have joined the issue for them. really big one is a, is it security over corporation with, with ukraine and, and was, can put in was saying your grant has a disputed directory with rushing crimea. there is ongoing conflict in these don't boss and so forth. and generally there is very kind of on t host al, to rata governments and public opinion in ukraine,

which they also have the ball. and so they want to make sure that that thing, that country ukraine, in terms of it's my belief ability, does not feel going to fall from enough to try to solve of those issues, any issues with russia. and i think that's much more important than any kind of protector battle groups which nathan might put itself in. romania will, well gary, and so forth. the cadre, i know you touched on this somewhat in your previous answer, but i want to just try to dig in a little bit deeper and ask you, what are some other lessons that can be learned when it comes to nato battle groups in baltic states. and some other lessons, or no, i or i must agree with. but alexander says, i, i think russia this done what that is about. i haven't heard any one theory is in moscow ever claim,

but res troops represent the french to moscow. they know, but research here as a result, the fresh, his own actions. they came or baby boom states after annexation of, of crimea. and they are still nominally rotational bases, which means, but nato actually hairs to the letter of the nato, russia founding uk from $97.00. but requires not the based permanent troops here. so to be honest, i, i think that works fairly well. the only thing that i have recommended to the baltic or leader is, is that, um, we are and anita umbrella, we are protected, we are fine, but it might be good to have some bilateral communication channels or so we have been moscow if something happens and things have happened, there was a case when russian fighter checked her crash there. well if yay, now there was

a case when spanish plain last miss silo estonia. no incidents like greece, but have no evil intent behind them, but that can create confusion and especially when pensions elsewhere are high, people might get suspicious. so it would actually be quite good if you have some phone number in moscow bit among the political or military leadership. ready that i took and dial if, if something like math happens because communication channels my on eto headquarters, they work to occur. can i, sim, of link between military chiefs. but they might be handy to have some bilateral communication channel as well. alex xander based on what country was saying there, that, that she think said some type of bilateral communication channel with moscow would be appropriate. do you think that something that would work or it might work and i

certainly will. i won't do any harm i. there was one i that's will be very helpful . i'm issue with the baltic states or so far as roger's grandson is not so much a military threat from them or from their lives based being raised there. but it's more kind of what are often see as a very strong on cheer russian rhetoric and actions coming out of the baltic states on which, you know, been a consistent seaman. i mean ross on fallen bullard discourse there, this kind of activists on to ross, an activist which pushing european union and nato into one of more stringent on to russian a direction. you know, singing weapons to you. great. nothing is $0.20 or weapons with when you miss any weapons and so forth. i and all those things base if you can of rattle russians and am i get of doesn't, doesn't help with the kind of overall i draw between them. but yeah, establishing look directly in case there's a, there's

a incident happening and making sure that doesn't develop into anything more substantial is would be a good thing. but there is a lot of annoyance and mistress the launched each side between the boards, accessing the ration, which you know, doesn't help overall security. as those at teresa looked to me like you were reacting to them or what to alexander and also what cadre was saying, did you want to jump in as well? sure. that when you can't defense minister, and while it was on his recent visit to moscow, he also talked about creating a communication channel because there's so much this information going on now. and that's the key thing for military men to have clear communications. i think that his russian counterparts were rather open to that. and i would also add that even though there's heightened tensions in the region, moscow doesn't have to invade to destroy the ukrainian economy. we see fights are not landing or they're ukrainian, aerospace of this cru tells a lot of trade and economic issues. plus they can cause problems in the black sea.

we've seen them try to blockade the black sea. so there are a lot of issues that ukraine is, can suffer under without any sort of direct attack. it's already hurting the economy. and as many people have pointed out, there is russian intelligence all through ukraine, all through ukraine. so this can cause mischief. so there's really heightened tensions. ukraine could be suffering this for months, neither at war and neither a peace country from your vantage point. is there a growing sentiment right now that the moves that nato is making? could perhaps make europe more dangerous? no, i don't think so, or at least as concerns the immediate stuff military for reinforcement. i think with

that everything is is fine and, and logical. i think moscow knows what it is and that's, but it's not an issue. i think what could become an, a sill is if really were west totally refuses to engage with moscow. on any off closes at moscow has raised the future to ukraine, which is not, of course, the west to decide. but it's linked to why the questions about the european security order and you know, western position right now is but we have perished charter buddies, the founding, talk a month for your care and security order, but gives each country right to choose vero alliances and all is fine, but,

but just but russia doesn't follow it. i wonder if, if that position is re lane sustainable, just like that. because that order, you know, it was a great in the early ninety's, 9090 when actually russia subscribe to western values, norms, world to be, you, russia, strayer. and, and that's why parish charter actually includes some contradictory poses right of countries to choose her own alliances. and it forbids countries to enhance or security at the expense of our countries and race to can actually martinez to be true. only for continent that lodge is sort of a thief. and we are not that any longer in russia has made it quite clear. but the 1000 share the worldview of awful west. so what i worry a little bit is with unwillingness i see in many western countries to,

to accept that as a, as a reality. we think we can moralize it into going away. i don't think that is the case. so in order to defend the order we liked, we should have much better leverage in place. some actually leverage rob a bunch of small mac driven notions. however good they are. and and i don't think we have mentally yet. so and where i can see a sort of danger. but if we insist on reality, if at moscow doesn't treat as reality men, it could be dangerous. in the long run. alexander secretary general sultan burger has said that the russian videos of troop pull out that they don't show meaningful de escalation. and he added the true numbers go up and down. but there's

a trend of russia sending more troops over the long run. from your perspective, do you think we're going to see that you think we're going to see more troops added in the long run? where do you think there will be a de escalation or perhaps a meaningful the escalation in the, in the next few days. or i'm not sure about the next few days, so far as kind of messages. most of the concerns they have been since martin they've been sounding like they want. they wanted to pursue a more can diplomatic track with meeting with lever off of which in kind of agreed to that diplomacy might still work. and after that that was full olds. announcements of troops with roles. and i think the various issue on your crane is not going to go away. and russia feeling that it has a military predominance in the region, which probably was one of his main cause to play. well, will a will,

will be a willing to do used again and not in terms of i'll try to invasion, but in terms of intimidation and both incredible threat towards ukraine. and that will continue to go on until the rock going real movements on issue or few grains. my membership of natal or other non membership of native. suppose most wisconsin, they means colts and also broader leemis and discussion limits on military copier as supporting the corporation between nato and ukraine. that more school wants to make sure that natal. busy through the back door, even without membership builds up the district capacity for grant. so if you can challenge rochester dominance in the region at teresa secretary general sultan burger has also said that for you in addition to saying that he's seen no meaningful sign of russian de escalation on the ground. and he had added that he did, does see signs of optimism. i mean, what do you make of that? or are there actually reasons to be optimistic right now?

well i think that was the whole idea that they had pursued dialogue and to get dialogue, they should have been d escalating. so they were, they were kind of signaling. we saw this with a cross visit to moscow. he was signaling that the russians were deescalate and he got this agreement from them and all we saw was increased escalation. so there's been a study trip or have been to moscow store with world leaders, european leaders speaking to president putin or their counterparts law. and it's almost like they're playing with them that there has been no de escalation. and i think that that really kind of shows that the comments on serious about dialogue. and that was kind of, you know, dialogue needs exchange of views. and i think that the comment is just kind of saying this is what we want and you better give it to us. so they how suggested nato has suggested to continue dialogue. they've talked about confidence building

measures. also discussions on missile defense issues and true placement. there's also the authority issue of is kind of missiles which can be used as nuclear missiles in clinic grad, which is right in the heart of europe. so i think that there are a lot of area to discuss. i think that to put in this training, it's almost a chinese concept to win without fighting. so he's trying to, to feel his way around this and see what he can get by, by having all these movements the, the creating government has called it blackmail. and, you know, we, we've seen a lot of dialogue with other members in the kremlin. so from that point of view, he has succeeded. but he doesn't seem to be willing at all to, to have dialogue either his way. and the other thing is, this is boomer any on the kremlin because instead of having less me know, we're seeing more nato, even sweden and finland, which are neutral countries,

are considering joining nato because this is becoming a very difficult neighborhood. all right, well we have run out of time, so we're gonna have to leave the conversation there. thanks so much. all of our guests theresa fallon, alex t 12 and kaji leak. and thank you for watching. you can see the program again any time by visiting our website al jazeera dot com, and for further discussion, go to our facebook page. that's facebook dot com, forward slash ha inside story. you can also join the conversation on twitter. our handle is at a j inside story from emergent room and a whole team here. bye for now. ah, ah.

a selling the at least children walk into slavery in $1.00 to $1.00 east investigates how the traffic is on the baiting justice. now to sierra the latest news as it breaks after the killing, you have to isolate or is widely united states over the last 3 years, many across the board, their fear to go through that as a challenge with detailed coverage opposition to the mine run strong science against it, like this form, are found across the community from around the world. very hard to get a sense of public opinion inside me. i'm up with the military arresting people for their political beliefs. americans are increasingly saying authoritarianism might not be so bad. there were several steps along the way where the chain of command, if you like, tried to cover what's your take on why they've gotten this so wrong?

that to me is political malpractice, the bottom line on us politics and policies and the impact on the wealth on al jazeera, counter feet, food cheap, and sometimes dangerous copies of the real thing, have been found all over the world. i mean, even the most expensive premium products. it's the secretive and deadly multi $1000000000.00 business. we found one problem was about one 3rd horse day and a and us, which was just an incredible finding. during raids on one of the most notorious mafia gangs in calabria, italian police found consignments of fake olive oil made from industrial lubricants that were being exported to the united states. the main thing that we do when we carry out criminal investigations is to reconstruct the money flow and the flow of goods and connect pieces together. it office, broads, does profits that are easy to make and hard to ignore. perhaps it means that all of

those should be a little more vigilant about what we put on our plates. ah hello i molly insight into how he top stories on al jazeera. the u. s. is continuing to warn that russia is on the verge of invading ukraine. washington has dismiss. most guys claims that some of its troops are pulling back and says, the kremlin is looking for an excuse to go to war. in easton ukraine, there's been a spike in fighting between government forces and russian back separatists under. simmons reports from keith wicker ah no not emphasis at least 500 explode.