Nato said yesterday that it will deploy units in six eastern European nations to co-ordinate a spearhead force set up in response to alleged Russian actions in Ukraine.

Cold-war alliance secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said the units would be set up in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania.

Defence ministers from the 28-nation military alliance will discuss the full force when they meet on February 5.

Mr Stoltenberg said countries responsible for providing several thousand troops should be known next week. Norway, Germany and the Netherlands are ready to contribute.

The forward units will plan and organise military exercises and provide command and control for any reinforcements the force might require.

“They’re going to be key, because they’re going to be the link between national and Nato forces. They’re going to plan, they’re going to organise exercises, to provide … key command elements for reinforcements,” Mr Stoltenberg said.