Alwaght- US-led NATO military alliance is developing nuclear weapons use at Russian Border, the Russian Defense Minister has revealed.
"All the buzz created by Western media around the "Zapad-2017" drills is just a cover for the increased activity of NATO forces near Russian and Belarusian borders," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was quoted as saying on Friday.
"On the eastern flank the alliance has intensified operative and combat training activities, including nuclear weapons use procedures," Shoigu said.
"In the immediate vicinity of our borders NATO has been building up its military presence, deploying extra military contingents and concentrating offensive armaments. Large-scale exercises are held on the regular basis. The infrastructures of seaports, airdromes and other facilities is being upgraded," Shoigu said.
"We do not wish to get involved in military confrontation with the West and we are prepared to conduct a constructive dialogue on the entire range of security issues, first and foremost, those concerning the struggle against world terrorism," Shoigu added.
The statement of the top official comes amid the recent decision of the NATO defense ministers to establish two more commands, thus improving troop movement in Europe.
Several eastern NATO member states have repeatedly voiced concerns over the Zapad-2017 military drills that were held on September 14-20 in Russian and Belarus, claiming that Russian troops, deployed in Belarus for the exercise, might stay in the country after the conclusion of the drills, thus, allegedly posing a threat to threat security.
The Russian and Belarusian officials have repeatedly refuted the allegations, saying that the planned drills were purely defensive and posed no threat to Eastern European states. In addition, Russia and Belarus invited NATO experts and foreign journalists to observe the drills.
