Moscow: NATO mobilizes its “strike force” on Russian border

SANAA, March 8 (YPA) – The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that “NATO could not hide the fact that the “potential adversary” in the announced “Defender Europe-2020″ exercises is Russia.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry statement drew attention to what US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on March 5 that The Defender Europe-2020’s goal is to send a signal to Russia to force its “bad behavior” to change.

“The Head of the Pentagon has not explained this and will not be able to do so, because Russia is not threatening anyone,” the statement said.

“NATO is the one that brings together the “strike force” on the Russian border,” the statement said.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that Russia would respond to NATO military exercises scheduled for April-May 2020.

Lavrov said NATO had been “lured” into joint exercises under the pretext of EU membership by neutral countries, such as Finland and Sweden.

Media sources had earlier said that in the spring of 2020, the United States would conduct large-scale “Defender Europe” exercises in Europe, during which 20,000 troops will be relocated across the Atlantic, in the largest transoceanic redeployment in 25 years.

Washington says the goal of the exercises is to increase NATO’s combat readiness and deter potential adversaries, while some 40,000 military personnel from 19 countries will participate in the exercises.

E.M