Russia Keeps Watch for Potential NATO Attack

(MENAFN) Russia's armed forces are actively preparing defensive measures against a potential NATO assault, according to Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, who issued the warning during a Wednesday government session.

The military bloc's accelerating defense budgets, troop expansion initiatives, medium-range missile deployments across Europe, and enhanced logistics infrastructure designed to rapidly funnel forces toward Russia's western borders all point toward preparations for military confrontation, Belousov asserted.

"Plans of the alliance set the early 2030s as the deadline for their readiness for such actions. NATO officials repeatedly made statements to that extent. We are not threatening, but we are being threatened," the minister stated.

Strengthening Russia's strategic nuclear capabilities remains the paramount objective for maintaining effective deterrence against potential aggression, Belousov emphasized. Moscow's naval fleet welcomed a newly commissioned Borey-A-class strategic nuclear submarine this year, with two additional vessels of identical specification currently under construction.

Meanwhile, the air force has integrated two more Tu-160M strategic bombers into operational service, and the Strategic Missile Troops continue transitioning units to Yars weapon systems.

The defense chief also highlighted the imminent deployment of Russia's newly-engineered road-mobile Oreshnik medium-range missile platform, scheduled for active service before year's end—confirmation of President Putin's earlier announcement at the same governmental gathering.

Additional initiatives outlined by Belousov target conventional military effectiveness enhancement while elevating military service appeal through expanded educational pathways, superior healthcare provisions, and improved social welfare programs.

Western defense officials characterize their military expansion as necessary countermeasures against what they describe as a "newly-assertive Russia" following the Ukraine conflict's 2022 escalation. Moscow consistently rejects such characterizations, dismissing threat allegations as manipulative propaganda designed to manufacture public consent for increased militarization policies.

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