NATO operations like Operation Dragoon Ride are a direct response to Putin’s actions. These operations allow NATO countries to exhibit a show of force while training to address the real threat that Russia could potentially strike again. According to the Washington Post,

The exercise comes as hostilities continue to simmer in the region. Russia annexed Crimea one year ago, and continues to send arms and equipment to separatists fighting in eastern Ukraine against the government in Kiev, U.S. and Ukrainian officials say. Officials in Washington announced this month that they would send unarmed drones, Humvees and other equipment to Kiev, but thus far have declined to send lethal aid.

A dragoon is a mounted soldier or cavalryman. The operation includes soldiers from the Army’s 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, which calls itself the Dragoons and has headquarters in Vilseck, Germany. In addition to the show of force, the operation is designed to have the military interact regularly with civilians across Europe and provide reassurance that the United States is nearby if needed.