Moscow denies hybrid war on NATO amid Steadfast Defender drills

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman stated that Moscow is not involved in hybrid attacks on NATO countries. She argued that such accusations aim to shift focus away from the Alliance's actions, including maneuvers like Steadfast Defender 24.

Reports from Russian state media and Kremlin officials are often dubious and may contribute to an information war conducted by the Russian Federation.

It's important to remember that the Steadfast Defender 2024 exercises are NATO's response to Russia's aggressive actions in Ukraine and its threatening posture toward NATO members. These exercises test the Alliance's capability for quick mobilization and the deployment of American troops to bolster Europe's defenses.

The exercises stretch from the Atlantic to the eastern flank of NATO and simulate a conflict with a similarly potent adversary.

Maria Zakharova, on Saturday, claimed it is NATO who initiated a hybrid war with Russia by financially backing Ukraine and supplying Kyiv with intelligence and arms, according to Reuters.

The largest NATO exercise since the Cold War, Steadfast Defender, is currently underway near Russia's borders. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman noted that these exercises are said to rehearse coalition responses to Russian aggression, incorporating a mix of hybrid and conventional tactics.

She said, "We have to accept that NATO is genuinely preparing for a conceivable military clash with our nation."

"Relations between Russia and the West are at their most strained in decades, primarily due to the conflict initiated by Russia in Ukraine in 2022," Reuters highlights.