Zakharova criticizes NATO exercises in Finland as 'provocative'
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Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accuses NATO of attempting to exert military pressure on Russia.
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Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova attends Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's annual end-of-year press conference in Moscow on January 18, 2024. (AFP)
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova criticized on Wednesday the NATO exercises planned to begin on Friday near the Russian-Finnish border, describing them as provocative.
"The NATO military exercises near the Russian borders are provocative in nature. Their task is to exert military pressure on the Russian Federation through a demonstration of force," she said.
She went on to say that "representatives of the North Atlantic bloc are purposefully whipping up hysteria around the alleged 'threat' posed by Russia, including actively spreading insinuations about Russia's plans to attack the member states of the organization, to justify their aggressive endeavors."
Russia Vigilant Against Western Aggression
Additionally, the top Russian official suggested that the military drills in Finland are a component of a hybrid warfare strategy targeting Russia.
"Helsinki is seeking to finalize its official NATO 'residence' as a ‘new recruit’ as soon as possible and become a full participant in this venture," Zakharova said.
She remarked that NATO persists in its active military engagement with a country that was formerly neutral and held a respected role in discussions concerning stability and security enhancement.
The maneuvers near Russia's borders heighten the likelihood of potential military incidents, Zakharova stressed.
Elsewhere in her remarks, she highlighted that Russia is closely observing "the aggressive actions of the collective West."
"Beyond any doubt, all necessary measures of political, military, and technical nature to counter threats to the defense capability of our country will be taken," Zakharova said.
Ukraine peace can only be achieved through battlefield: Finnish Pres.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said, on April 8, that the only way to achieve peace in the Ukraine conflict is through the battlefield.
"The only way we can achieve peace is through the battlefield," he told CNN.
Simultaneously, he pointed out that Ukrainian society is tired of the conflict that has been going on for more than two years, adding that there is a complete lack of political dialogue between Finland and Russia.
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