Official: NATO’s aggressive behavior poses direct threat to Russia

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko has said that Russia takes into account the potential preparation of NATO for war in its military planning.

“The overall course of the alliance poses a threat both to Russia and to the global and regional security,” Caliber.Az reports, citing Grushko’s interview with Russian media.

He noted that Russia has been declared a long-term direct threat to security, and NATO is consistently increasing the size of its military contingents near Russia’s borders.

"If we sum it up, NATO is preparing for an armed conflict with Russia," he noted. 

He added that NATO's aggressive behavior and the direct security risks it poses to Russia are being factored into military construction and defence planning.

On December 6, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that Moscow aims to prevent direct conflict with NATO. He also disagreed with claims that the Russian side is discussing the inevitability of a third world war. Finland's Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen has said that Finland is preparing to strengthen its defence in anticipation of potential long-term conflicts. 

"We will enhance Finland's ability to withstand large-scale impacts, military pressure, and potential prolonged wars that could last for years. Finland will continue maintaining and developing its strong defence capabilities in any security-related situation," he said.

The Finnish defence minister clarified that the country will work alongside its NATO allies to strengthen its defence.

By Naila Huseynova