(MENAFN) On Monday, the United States (US) strongly criticized Moscow for what it termed as "irresponsible rhetoric" following Russia's announcement of nuclear weapon drills near Ukraine.
"This is an example of the kind of irresponsible rhetoric that we've seen from Russia in the past. It's completely inappropriate, given the current security situation," Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder conveyed this sentiment to reporters.
Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder's remarks came in the wake of a significant announcement made by Russia on Monday. The Russian government revealed its initiation of preparations for a military exercise, a notable aspect of which involved the deployment and utilization of the country's non-strategic nuclear weapons.
This announcement was accompanied by a narrative from Russian officials, asserting that such measures were necessitated by what they characterized as "provocations and threats" emanating primarily from France, the UK, and the US.
"And, you know, we've not seen any change in their strategic force posture. Obviously, we'll continue to monitor. But it's just, yes, irresponsible rhetoric," the Pentagon Press Secretary further mentioned.
The decision to proceed with these military exercises was attributed directly to President Vladimir Putin, underscoring the top-level endorsement of Russia's military readiness and strategic positioning in response to perceived geopolitical tensions. This move by Moscow was widely interpreted as a deliberate assertion of its military capabilities and a calculated response to what it perceives as external challenges to its national security interests.
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