Russia accuses NATO of escalation after pre-emptive strike remarks

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has sharply criticized recent remarks by Military Committee Chair of NATO Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, calling his suggestion of possible pre-emptive or more aggressive Alliance measures in response to alleged Russian hybrid activities “extremely irresponsible.”

In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Dragone’s comments signaled NATO’s willingness to escalate tensions rather than seek de-escalation, Caliber.Az reports.

“We view this as a deliberate attempt to undermine efforts to emerge from the Ukrainian crisis. Those who make such statements must understand the risks and potential consequences that follow — including for the alliance’s own members,” she emphasized.

Dragone told the Financial Times that NATO is examining options for pre-emptive measures in response to what the Alliance views as Russia’s hostile actions, such as cyberattacks, sabotage, and violations of NATO airspace.

"We are studying everything … On cyber, we are kind of reactive. Being more aggressive or being proactive instead of reactive is something that we are thinking about," Dragone said. He also suggested that a "pre-emptive strike" could, in some circumstances, be viewed as "defensive action," while noting that such an approach is "further away from our normal way of thinking and behavior."

The comments come amid heightened concern in Europe following a series of incidents involving Russian drones reportedly entering the airspace of NATO member states. Last week, Politico reported that European officials have been actively discussing possible responses to what they describe as Russia’s expanding hybrid operations.

Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations of hybrid aggression and has maintained that NATO’s rhetoric reflects the Alliance’s own confrontational posture.

By Vafa Guliyeva