ALWAGHT- A spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry stated on Saturday that NATO's four-month military exercise near Russia's borders, named Steadfast Defender, serves as evidence that the alliance is getting ready for a potential clash with Russia.
Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman, rejected NATO's recent accusations against Russia regarding hybrid attacks on its member states, dismissing them as misleading "misinformation" intended to divert attention from the alliance's own activities.
She asserted in a statement that it was NATO that had initiated a hybrid war against Russia by providing support to Ukraine through arms, intelligence, and finances.
Zakharova highlighted the ongoing Steadfast Defender exercise near Russia's borders as NATO's largest since the Cold War, emphasizing that the scenario involves coalition actions against Russia using a variety of instruments, including hybrid and conventional weapons.
"We must acknowledge that NATO is actively preparing for a 'potential conflict' with us," she stated.
Relations between Russia and the West have reached their most hostile point in decades since the commencement of Russia's military operation in Ukraine in 2022.