Russia's defense minister says the security situation near the nation's borders has worsened because of NATO's activities. Sergei Shoigu, speaking Wednesday on a trip to Russia's westernmost Kaliningrad region, pointed at the alliance's exercise in the Baltics as an example of NATO's growing presence in the area. Shoigu added that the large-scale drills reflect NATO's "anti-Russian course." He said the military will form 20 new units along its western frontiers by the year's end. Later this year, Russia and Belarus will hold the West-2017 war games. Russian state TV showed the footage of a NATO F-16 fighter jet shadowing Shoigu's plane as it was approaching Kaliningrad. A Russian Su-27 fighter then edged in between the minister's plane and NATO's jet to ward it off.