NATO is seriously preparing for a conflict with Russia

Russia said NATO military maneuvers currently taking place with the use of hybrid and conventional weapons near Russia's borders show that the Western alliance is seriously preparing for a conflict with Moscow.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday that "NATO's largest exercise since the Cold War, codenamed 'Sturdy Defender', is taking place near Russia's borders."

She said that "alliance actions against Russia are being practiced using all instruments, including hybrid and conventional weapons."

"We must admit that NATO is seriously preparing for a possible conflict with us", she added.

According to the Western alliance, NATO launched military exercises with the participation of about 90,000 troops in January to show "that NATO can conduct complex multi-domain operations over several months, over thousands of kilometers."

NATO has previously described the military exercises as "a simulated conflict scenario with a nearby adversary". NATO maneuvers will continue until the end of May.