Colonel General Sergei Rudskoy, chief of the General Staff’s Main Operations Directorate, said that between April and May 2020, NATO countries were five times more likely to conduct air patrols near Russian borders.

“Currently, the activity of the US air and naval forces and their allies near the Russian borders has sharply increased. So, in April of this year, one flight of B-1B strategic bomber aircraft was carried out along the Kamchatka Peninsula, and five such flights were recorded in May, ”he said.

Serdy Rudskoy also noted that B-1B aircraft were first seen in the airspace of Ukraine.

In addition, according to the Russian commander, the armies of NATO countries during the recent exercises Defender Europe 2020 practiced attacks on potential targets in Russia.

“During these events, it was planned to carry out landing operations in the Baltic states and the Caucasus on the eve of May 9th. This did not happen only because of quarantine measures. Almost all combat training missions were practiced at training grounds located in close proximity to our borders. The objects located on the territory of the Russian Federation are considered as probable targets for defeat, ”Rudskoy said.

Recall that due to the NATO coronavirus pandemic, it was necessary to significantly reduce the scale of the Defender Europe 2020 exercises, as well as to cancel the maneuvers associated with them. These maneuvers were planned as the largest in Europe since the end of the Cold War: according to the scenario, NATO countries were to repulse a non-nuclear attack and the invasion of an unnamed enemy from the East.

To participate in Defender Europe 2020, the United States deployed several thousand units of military equipment to the continent and intended to send at least 20 thousand troops to the region. In total, about 37 thousand military personnel from the countries - members of the alliance were supposed to be involved in the exercises, however, because of the coronavirus infection pandemic, the scale of the exercises had to be reduced and completed early.

In an interview with RT, military expert Alexei Leonkov noted that today in the military exercises of Western countries, Russia is seen as an aggressor attacking a state in the east of the bloc.

“The Defender exercises not only had to demonstrate the cohesion of the NATO bloc, but also the ability to transfer large units across the Atlantic and deploy them near Russian borders. The pandemic prevented this, but this idea remained, ”the expert explained.

Security Removal

Hiding behind the imaginary threat of “Russian aggression”, the United States and its allies by such actions destroy the security system created in Europe, Sergei Rudskoy emphasized.

"By such actions, the United States and its allies, hiding behind a far-fetched threat of" Russian aggression ", continue to destroy the existing security system in Europe," Rudskoy said.

  • Head of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Sergey Rudskoy
  • RIA News
  • © Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

The general noted that a significant increase in NATO military activity near the borders of Russia was observed against the background of the US unilateral withdrawal from the Treaty on the Destruction of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles (INF Treaty), and after that - during the preparation for withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty.

At the same time, the United States continues to build up its military infrastructure in Eastern and Northern Europe, added Sergei Rudskoy.

“Work continues on building up the missile defense infrastructure in Poland in addition to the deployed US facility in Romania. All concerns regarding the possible deployment of Tomahawk cruise missiles at these bases remain. In addition, to increase the anti-ballistic missile potential and expand capabilities to monitor the internal regions of the Russian territory, the modernization of the Globus-3 radar station in Northern Norway in the village of Vardø continues, ”said the Russian military commander.

Colonel-General Sergei Rudskoy also recalled that NATO is stepping up its activities in the Arctic, citing the example of a provocative entry of an alliance strike group into the Barents Sea.

“For the first time since the end of the Cold War, on the eve of the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Victory over Nazi Germany, the exercises of the NATO naval forces warships were held in the Barents Sea ... During the exercise, the tasks of defeating objects in Russia and intercepting Russian ballistic missiles rockets. We regard such actions as provocative despite the fact that the American side in the shortest possible time notified about the calls of these ships in the Barents Sea, ”Rudskoy added.

Recall that in early May, the NATO strike group, consisting of American and British ships, made a call to the Barents Sea. The group included US Navy destroyers Porter, Donald Cook and Franklin Roosevelt, as well as the frigate Kent of the British Navy. Commander of the US Navy in Europe and Africa, Admiral James Foggo, commenting on the maneuvers, said that NATO forces allegedly "ensured trade security and demonstrated freedom of navigation in difficult conditions."

Military expert Yuri Knutov in an interview with RT noted that Russia is taking adequate measures to prevent any provocative actions by NATO.

“In the event of a provocation, troops will be deployed to the Russian Federation to respond to it. In addition, the government is planning to implement a rearmament program so that Russian Sarmat missiles with Avangard hypersonic blocks can eliminate all major military facilities in the US, ”said the expert.

Yuri Knutov also noted that Russia has created the A2AD system, which includes the S-400, Iskander, and Bastion systems and which will allow suppressing any NATO grouping. In the nomenclature of the USA and other Western armies, A2AD (Anti-Access and Area Denial - restriction and prohibition of access and maneuver) is a concept of deterring the enemy by creating a “defense sphere” into which NATO troops cannot penetrate without risk of unacceptable damage.

“Russia is trying to be proactive in these matters so that the United States, with a sober assessment and sound computer simulation, will get the same result - they will be defeated,” the expert noted.

Rules of behavior

To normalize the situation, Russia is ready to fix mutual rules with NATO on the minimum distances of approaching aircraft and ships, to prevent incidents in the air and at sea.

“As a concretization of steps to eliminate sensitive incidents during aircraft and naval operations, we are ready to fix joint rules that determine the minimum distance of approach of aircraft and ships, as well as the interaction between crews,” said Rudskoy.

  • USS Donald Cook
  • Reuters
  • © US Navy / Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mat Murch

The general added that Moscow is counting on the readiness of the NATO countries for concrete decisions on this issue.

The current situation brings peace back during the Cold War, when the borders of the USSR were constantly patrolled by American strategic bombers, on board of which there were complexes with nuclear warheads, noted Alexei Leonkov.

“It was possible to destroy this situation thanks to the treaties that formed the basis of nuclear safety and the peaceful existence of states. Now the United States is withdrawing from most treaties and in its military documents have adopted the standard of one war, which states that America must triumph in the war against Russia and China. All that is happening near the Russian borders is a practical demonstration that the US is ready to start a war at any time, ”the expert concluded.

In response to such actions, Russia continues to strengthen its defense on the western borders, said Alexei Leonkov.

“In the western direction, air defense complexes and coastal defense complexes have been deployed. Russia now makes it clear that any aggression will not go unpunished, ”the expert concluded.