Amid a growing unease in eastern Europe over Russia’s hostile actions in eastern Ukraine, NATO began joint military exercises in the region on Thursday named Spearhead.<br /><br /> More than 2,000 soldiers from nine countries took part in the drills in western Poland backed up by US fighter jets, transport helicopters and Polish tanks.<br /><br /> At the top of European leaders’ minds as they were given a 90 minute demonstration by soldiers was the Kremlin’s backing of separatists in Eastern Ukraine, which Moscow denies.<br /><br /> After watching the drills with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, Poland’s Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said: “Russia must not be judged by its words, but by its actions and these actions over the past year-and-a-half have not left us optimistic. The annexation of Crimea and (Russia’s) activity in eastern Ukraine has left eastern European nations feeling apprehensive.”<br /><br /> The first Spearhead drills came two days after President Vladimir Putin ordered 40 new intercontinental ballistic mis
