President Vladimir Putin's high-profile military deployments aim to showcase Russian power in any global confrontation with the West, NATO officials say, but the alliance will not seek to match Moscow's actions. Curtis Scaparrotti, the U.S.-led alliance's top commander, told allied defense ministers on Wednesday that more than 120,000 Russian troops took part in exercises in September which culminated with the firing of a missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, diplomats said. As Russia's sole aircraft carrier passed Europe's shores this week, reports of its warships equipped with nuclear-capable missiles in the Baltic alarmed allies.

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