China News Agency, Moscow, June 1 (Reporter Wang Xiujun) Rutskoy, director of the General Operations Department of the Russian Armed Forces, said at a news conference in Moscow on the 1st that during the New Crown Virus epidemic, NATO ’s military on the Russian border The number of activities has greatly increased.

  Rutzkoi said that one of the biggest military activities was the "European Defender-2020" exercise. The United States employed more than 28,000 military personnel, 287 tanks, 449 armored personnel carriers and 95 helicopters. In addition, 17 countries participated in this exercise together. The focus of the exercise is to confront Russia, and all activities are held near the Russian border.

  Rutzkoi said that NATO's activities in the Arctic are also active. On the eve of the 75th anniversary of the victory of World War II, NATO warships held exercises for the first time in the Barents Sea area, and exercised the tasks of destroying Russian facilities and intercepting Russian ballistic missiles. The Russian side regards such actions as provocation.

  Rutzkoi revealed that the United States significantly increased the number of strategic bombers flying across the Russian border within one month, one of which was only 10 kilometers away from the Kaliningrad border. Every flight of the US strategic bomber was discovered by the Russian air defense forces and tracked continuously to prevent accidents.

  Rutzkoi called on NATO to reduce the intensity of confrontation. He emphasized that Russia will continue to implement the policy of easing the situation in Europe. This year, the Russian military does not consider holding large military exercises in border areas close to NATO countries. The Russian side hopes that NATO can adjust the exercise area on a reciprocal basis, work with the Russian side to determine the minimum proximity distance between aircraft and ships, and consider the Russian proposal to use transponders during the Baltic flight. (Finish)