Alwaght- Russian President Valdimir Putin says US-led NATO military alliance is constantly trying to draw his country into war.
Addressing senior members of the Russian intelligence agency FSB on Thursday, Putin added that members of the alliance continue to interfere in Russia’s domestic affairs.
Putin pointed out said that over the past years the global security situation “has not improved, but on the contrary, many existing threats have only become more serious.”
He added that with its “newly-declared official mission to deter Russia” NATO is one of the threats. The Russian leader noted that at the NATO summit held in 2016 in Poland’s capital of Warsaw, "Russia was declared the main threat for the Alliance’s security for the first time since 1989."
“This is the goal behind the expansion of this military bloc. It happened before, but now they have found a new justification which they believe to be serious,” Putin said.
“In fact, they are constantly provoking us, trying to drag us into a confrontation,” Putin stated, adding that NATO members “are continuing their efforts to interfere in our domestic affairs with the goal of destabilizing social and political order in Russia proper.”
Putin added that foreign intelligence agencies continue intensive operations in Russia.
“In the past year 53 foreign intelligence operatives and 386 agents of foreign intelligence services have been busted,” he said.
The president also expressed regret over Russia and Western nations no longer coordinating efforts to fight against common enemies such as terrorist groups.
“It's in everyone's interest to resume dialogue between the intelligence agencies of the United States and other members of NATO,” Putin said.
Meanwhile Putin has said Russia’s FSB plays a key role in protecting constitutional order and the country’s sovereignty,"
"The state will continue to strengthen the central office and territorial branches of the FSB, provide them with modern weapons and equipment as well as "provide social guaranties to the FSB officers and their family members," Putin noted.
