(TotalConservative.com) – NATO war games and expansion to include Sweden and Finland have triggered Russian allegations that the European alliance is intent on starting a war. Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev suggested that a conflict between NATO and Russia is “being rehearsed” in ongoing drills that began in January and are expected to continue through May. The exercises will put NATO soldiers engaged in military exercises right along the Russian border.
NATO’s “Steadfast Defender 2024” drills are being cited as evidence of increased NATO aggression, according to Patrushev, who gave the comments to Russian channel RT on Thursday, March 7.
The drills will incorporate representatives from all 32 alliance countries and use over 90,000 troops from the member states. Sweden will also join in the action, being the latest member of the alliance. They officially joined NATO the same day Patrushev issued his comments: March 7.
NATO apologists claim that the exercises are solely for hypothetical scenarios, but Russian allies are claiming otherwise. Patrushev accused the alliance of using the drills to practice its wargames against Russia. He suggested that NATO was a U.S. vessel which it uses to enforce its rule around the world.
Patrushev also suggested that the exercises were contributing to an already-tense situation between the major world powers. He also accused the U.S. of playing a “destructive role” in modern times, being responsible for numerous wars and other armed conflicts.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the drills “provocative in nature,” and added that they could trigger “tragic consequences” in January.
The relationship between the U.S. and Russia has been more strained than ever in the last few years. Russia maintains that the conflict in Ukraine is a limited engagement in response to U.S. backed aggression in the country, including allegations that the CIA was responsible for the 2014 coup that installed the current regime.
NATO and U.S. officials claim that the war in Ukraine will spread to nearby nations if Russia isn’t defeated.
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