Putin has already called for steps to improve the line of defense.
In response to NATO activities in front of its borders, Russia wants to strengthen its western flank militarily. A powerful group has formed on NATO’s eastern flank, “a powerful military infrastructure, a defense structure of NATO,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, according to the Interfax agency.
According to Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin had already called on Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to take steps to improve the defense line – even before NATO’s recent announcements that it would further strengthen its presence in the east.
According to Peskov, Shoigu should make concrete proposals to Putin. “We did not move in the direction of NATO, but NATO moved in our direction and thereby created a danger for us that triggers our concern,” said Peskov, looking back on the past few years – even before the start of the Russian War against Ukraine on February 24th.
In response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, NATO had activated its defense plans, moving elements of the NATO Response Force and placing 40,000 troops and air and sea capabilities on the eastern flank under NATO’s direct command. Four additional multinational battlegroups are currently being set up in Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary in the short term.