Russia warns NATO to `prepare for conflict`

(Dan Tri) – Russia warns that NATO exercises near the Russian border show that the US-led bloc is preparing for a potential conflict with Moscow.

Forces participating in the NATO Dragon 24 military exercise in March near Gniew, Poland (Photo: Getty).

`According to the exercise scenario, the coalition’s actions against Russia are being carried out using all tools, including mixed and conventional weapons,` said the Foreign Ministry spokesman.

A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said NATO’s largest military exercise since the Cold War is being held near Russia’s border, showing that the US-led alliance is `seriously preparing` for an attack.

`We must admit that NATO is seriously preparing for a potential conflict with us,` Ms. Zakharova warned.

Exercise Steadfast Defender, involving about 90,000 soldiers from all 32 NATO member states and 1,100 combat vehicles, began in late January and will end in May.

The statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman came after NATO earlier this week accused Moscow of carrying out `mixed operations` on the territory of member countries and being a threat to their security.

`These actions include acts of sabotage, violence, cyber and electronic attacks, disinformation campaigns and other combined operations,` NATO said.

Ms. Zakharova dismissed NATO’s accusations as `misinformation` intended to try to divert public attention from the military alliance’s own activities.

According to Ms. Zakharova, NATO and the leaders of each member state are `increasing the level of anti-Russian hysteria to justify the unprecedented scale of militarization in Europe.`

Ms. Zakharova accused NATO of launching `a hybrid war against Russia in all operating environments and in all directions`.

In March, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev said that NATO’s Steadfast Defender 2024 exercise was `increasing tensions and destabilizing the world situation` by simulating a military confrontation with Russia.

Russian officials described NATO as an `important tool` used by the US to pressure and influence other countries.

In recent months, many senior officials from NATO member states have warned that Russia is planning to launch an attack against the military bloc in the coming years.

Russia has repeatedly denied the above statement.