NATO’s Steadfast Defender 2024 war games that kicked off in Europe last week present a threat to Russia’s national security, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Wednesday, noting that the US-led bloc is an “instrument of confrontation.”
The exercises, hailed to be the largest NATO has held in decades, are said to involve some 90,000 troops from all 31 member states as well as Sweden and will last for several months, ultimately ending in May, according to the bloc’s Supreme Allied Commander for Europe Christopher Cavoli.
It’s also noted that some 1,100 combat vehicles, including 133 tanks and 533 infantry fighting vehicles, as well as over 50 naval vessels and 80 helicopters, drones and fighter jets are set to take part in the exercises.
Commenting on the war games, Peskov pointed out that NATO has always been intended as a “instrument of confrontation” that is controlled by Washington.
“The alliance, in fact, was conceived, formed, configured and is currently managed by the United States precisely as an instrument of confrontation. This instrument continues to fulfill its role and, of course, it is a threat to us,” the Kremlin spokesperson said. He added that Moscow would continue to take corresponding measures in response, especially as NATO keeps expanding its military infrastructure towards Russia’s borders.
The launch of NATO’s military drills come as a number of officials from its member countries, including the UK, Germany, and Estonia, have been urging the bloc to prepare for a full-scale military confrontation with Russia in the near future, suggesting that Moscow had plans to attack Europe in the next few decades.
Russia has vehemently denied any such plans, calling the claims a “hoax.” Russian President Vladimir Putin has insisted that Moscow “has no interest … geopolitically, economically or militarily ... in waging war against NATO” and would instead prefer to develop a relationship with the US-led bloc.