'Defender of Europe' exercises threaten Russia; Lugansk liberty nears

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On Friday, the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu revealed that the situation in the Western strategic direction is characterized by an increase in military threats near the Russian borders.

"The situation in the western strategic direction is characterized by an increase in military threats near Russian borders. Over the past eight years, the intensity of US strategic bomber flights in Europe has increased 15-fold (to 45 per year from just three). The visits to the Baltic Sea by US ships with controlled rocket weapons also became systematical," Shoigu said.

Near the Kaliningrad region, one year back, US ships holding guided weapons "performed tasks six times with access to the proposed cruise missile launch areas, 24 such events have been detected by the objective control system since 2016," the Minister specified.

Furthermore, the US and NATO have been ramping up the scales of operational and combat training near Russian borders.

"Currently, a series of exercises 'Defender of Europe' with the participation of up to 40,000 military personnel from 30 countries of the bloc is being carried out. The main feature of the maneuvers is the transfer of a full-fledged division from the United States to the European continent, as well as the deployment of a group of troops in three strategic directions: the Arctic, western and southwestern," Shoigu said.

Within the Western Military District, tensions have been on the rise as Finland and Sweden move forward to NATO membership. 

Azov surrendering 

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, as many as 1,908 Ukrainian militants from the Azov neo-Nazi battalion have surrendered. The militants have been blocked in the Azovstal steel factory for the past weeks, according to Shoigu. 

"The blockade of the Azovstal plant continues. Civilians who were held there by Ukrainian nationalists were evacuated from the territory of the plant — 177 people were saved, including 85 women and 47 children. Qualified medical and psychological assistance was provided to everyone. Nationalists blocked at the plant began to surrender. At the moment, 1,908 people have laid down their arms," Shoigu said at a Ministry meeting.

Read more: Kiev orders its Azovstal troops to surrender

Lugansk liberation almost over 

Shoigu also revealed that the Russian armed forces fighting in the Lugansk and Donetsk republics continue to expand control over territories in Donbass, as the liberation of Lugansk nears.

"Groups of the Russian Armed Forces, together with units of the people's militias of the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics, continue to expand control over the territory of Donbass. The liberation of the Luhansk People's Republic is coming to an end," Shoigu said during the meeting.