MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Western countries attempt to pass off the Russian Armed Forces' planned exercises as a threat to neighboring countries by playing up Cold War and arms race rhetoric, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.
"We hear many reproaches lately from our Western partners, who fear the growth of our Armed Forces' combat readiness and combat capability in recent years. Planned activities of our operational and combat training are attempted to be passed off as 'alarming' signals to neighboring countries. Talking points are being spun about the military threat, a new Cold War, and another arms race," Shoigu said.
Speaking with representatives of the executive bodies on the September 5-10 strategic command and staff Kavkaz-2016 exercises, Shoigu stressed the military's need to maintain national security.
"Large-scale operational and combat training activities of our Armed Forces are not signals to anyone and certainly not a threat. They are a needed condition to ensure the combat readiness of any country's military organization," the minister asserted.
Western countries have repeatedly voiced concerns over Russia's military exercises despite the fact that Moscow warns its foreign partners of the planned exercises well in advance, as well as invites foreign observers to drills. For example, the abovementioned Kavkaz-2016 drills were attended by around 60 military attaches from more than 40 countries, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
