maneuvers are 'a highly-visible demonstration of U.S. commitment' to the region

U.S. Army said that Nato


Flag-waving supporters of the United States flooded the streets of Prague today to cheer on a highly visible display of U.S. military might rolling through Europe.

Dozens of Stars and Stripes flags, as well as symbols of the Nato military alliance, thronged the capital of the Czech Republic as American soldiers were given a warm welcome by the locals.

Armored carriers, including Stryker multi-purpose fighting vehicles, rolled down the highways before coming to a temporary stop in the city's historic streets as part of an overt show of strength to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

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Armored column: Row on row of American firepower rolled through Prague today as Stars and Stripes filled the air

Warm welcome: Locals turned out in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, and waved the Stars and Stripes and the blue flag of Nato as a welcome to visiting U.S. troops

Show of strength: A huge column of armored might has been working its way through Eastern Europe and the Baltic States in the past week as a show of strength in the region

Route: The U.S. armored column began in three different locations before converging in Prague. It will finish in Germany

Are you watching, Vlad? The U.S. Army's Stryker armored assault vehicles, above, were supported by Air Force fighter jets and Army attack choppers for parts of the route

The armored column is headed to an army base in Vilseck, Germany, in a journey spanning more than 1,000 miles. The troops are travelling through Nato member states, including the Czech Republic, in the wake of fears over Russian military intervention in the region.

They were given similarly enthusiastic receptions in other European cities.

States in the Baltic feel at particular risk as they share a border with Russia. The convoy, part of a mission dubbed Atlantic Resolve, is designed to reassure members and demonstrate that Nato is prepared to defend its member states.

Ukraine, which had its Crimea territory annexed by Russia last year, and claims military intervention is ongoing, applied to join Nato in 2008, but the process was never completed.

Under the rules of the alliance, any attack on a member state is regarded as an attack on all of them, a tenet credited with checking Soviet expansion during the Cold War.

Happy to see them: Czech locals were pleased to see an American military presence as fears continue over Russia's military action in the region

Bringing the sunshine: The overt military operation is designed to reassure Eastern Europe that the U.S. is ready to act

Shaking hands: A Czech man approached an Army reconnaissance vehicle to greet a soldier in person

Big guns: The U.S. has rolled its heavy arms more than a thousand miles from Estonia, with an eventual destination of Germany

The Dragoon Ride convoy began in three separate branches; one in Talinn, Estonia, one in Vilnius, Linthuania and one in Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland.

They converged in Prague and will continue along a single route to Germany, where the U.S. Army has a base. The convoy has in parts received air support from U.S. Air Force jet planes and Army attack helicopters.

Supporters of Russia had threatened to disrupt - or even halt - the convoy, but local reports say that agitators were far outnumbered by supporters and that no untoward incidents took place.

An army spokesman said: 'Dragoon Ride is a complex mission involving a significant amount of international diplomatic and military cooperation.

'It will allow all units involved an opportunity to exercise key command and control systems across all levels of command, test their unit leadership and maintenance capabilities, while simultaneously providing a highly-visible demonstration of U.S. commitment to its NATO allies and demonstrating NATO’s ability to move military forces freely across allied borders in close cooperation.'

Lining the streets: Crowds are pictured above earlier in the mission, waving in support from the Czech border

Waving: Soldiers in heavy camo waved to the crowds on their long journey

'Stay with us!': The message from these Czech supporters was unambiguous amid fears over Putin's Russia

Air support: Army helicopters hovered overhead parts of the march, pictured above in Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland