The Baltic countries are sovereign nations. They have the right to decide which military and political bloc they want to be a part of.

It is painful to talk about it, but even with its 110,000 elite soldiers, the Soviet Union never managed to gain control over the entire Afghan territory.

We have put the Cold War behind us. We no longer count our divisions and our warheads. And I am Russia's first civilian defense minister in many centuries. We have become more pragmatic.

Because of its huge territory, Russia must devote a great deal of attention to security.

Russia sees itself as a country that is self-sufficient.

When it comes to culture, religion and mentality, most Russians identify with Europe.

The Baltic countries are sovereign nations. They have the right to decide which military and political bloc they want to be a part of.