Moscow has warned NATO against the planned military exercises in Europe which is planned for several months.
NATO will hold a “multi-domain operations” involving a “90,000 strong group of forces” from 31 alliance member countries in response to Russia’s growing aggression which has sparked fears of another war across Europe.
Moscow has said that NATO’s planned military exercises close to Russia’s borders is “openly provocative” that could result in the most severest consequences for Europe.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned on Friday that NATO’s Steadfast Defender 2024 are “openly provocative in nature.”
She said, “For several months, a 90,000-strong group of forces from 31 NATO member countries, as well as Sweden, will be actively operating near Russian borders on the territory from Norway to Romania.
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“This step is deliberately aimed at escalating things. It increases the risk of military incidents and could ultimately lead to tragic consequences for Europe.”
She insisted that Moscow has “no plans to attack NATO countries,” but she warned NATO members will receive a response if any part of the Russian border or Russian infrastructure be breached.
She added, “The chairman of its military committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, said that the alliance is preparing for a conflict with Russia. Similar comments have also been repeatedly heard from the leadership of NATO countries.
“In this way, the alliance is trying to justify its existence in the eyes of millions of Europeans and Americans, as well as its agenda to contain Russia, to justify the insane increase in military spending, and, of course, in some way distract public opinion and audience attention from the failures in the field of that very hybrid war by the hands of the Kyiv regime against our country.”
Last week the UK’s former NATO commander General Sir Richard Sherriff warned it is now time to “think the unthinkable” and is urging the government to introduce conscription.
He said that the UK has had years of defence cuts and he is urging the government to “go further and look carefully at conscription.”
General Sir Richard who is the former deputy supreme allied commander said that the government’s current defence budget need to be bigger.
Speaking to Sky News the former top NATO commander said, “Conscription to most professional soldiers, and I count myself as one, is absolute anathema.
“Britain’s armed forces have traditionally and culturally relied on long service volunteer highly professional soldiers with huge experience – and that is really the way we would all want it to go on.”
Since the end of the Cold War the UK has cut defence budgets, he then warned, “I think we need to get over many of the cultural hang-ups and assumptions, and frankly think the unthinkable.
“I think we need to go further and look carefully at conscription.”
His views comes after the current Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Patrick Sanders said on Wednesday that in the event of a war with Russia British men and women will be called up to fight for the UK.
The outgoing head of the British Army said that the public should be “trained and equipped” to fight a war should NATO trigger Article 5 against Vladimir Putin.
General Sir Richard added, “So there is a real threat to peace in the Euro-Atlantic region – and the way to preserve peace is deterrence, effective military deterrence, conventional and nuclear.
“That means being ready for the worst case, which is war with Russia. So that means our armed forces have got to have the numbers, the capabilities, the logistics, the training needed.”
