There is something about war that very few people seem to understand. Watch this clip and then I will discuss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e-VQNvewsQ

If your enemy builds up forces near your border, they will always say (whether it is true or not) that these forces are for defensive purposes only. Can you trust your enemy? Never. So you are forced to presume that they MIGHT be for offensive purposes and be prepared for such a situation. That means that you must build up forces in similar numbers, and also claim that your build up is for defensive purposes and you will attack if they attack. This logic applies to both sides. If NATO builds up forces in Poland to "send a strong signal not to attack Poland", then Russia must build up forces in Belarus to send a strong signal to NATO not to attack Belarus.

In this case, i think both sides are indeed defensive, and neither side intends to strike the other. But it is really strainge that with NATO building up forces first, to presume that Russia's counter-buildup of forces is the offensive one.

Everybody in that video was an idiot.