West preparing for a military confrontation with Russia, say Russian officials

The West is pursuing a policy of military confrontation with Russia, RIA Novosti writes, referring to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko.

“This is reflected in the growing assistance provided by Western countries to Ukraine and the increasing supply of long-range and lethal weapons. It is also evident in the military-political situation on NATO’s eastern flank, where the number of exercises is rising. These drills are becoming more aggressive and offensive in nature. Taking into account the nature of these military activities and the ongoing strategic planning, this is clearly a policy of military confrontation with Russia — and, in general, preparation for such a confrontation,” Russia’s deputy foreign minister said.

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, in turn, stated that there are no grounds to blame Russia for the situation involving drones over Europe. According to him, the Kremlin considers claims by European politicians about Russia’s alleged involvement in drone operations baseless. Peskov advised European leaders to “broaden their horizons” instead of linking every drone launch to Russia, iz.ru writes.

It should be noted that reports of drones appearing in European airspace have sharply increased over the past few months. At least ten European countries have reported such incidents.

On Oct. 6, Oslo Airport delayed several landings after reports of drone activity near the airport. On the evening of Oct.3, Munich Airport suspended operations for the same reason. Around the same time, about 15 drones were spotted near a military base in eastern Belgium. Similar incidents have recently been reported in Denmark, Norway, and Poland, while Estonia and Romania have also reported violations of their airspace.