Russia condemned the remarks by NATO’s top military officer today, after he suggested the alliance could consider pre-emptive strikes as a defensive action against Moscow. Talking to media recently, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone said that NATO was exploring ways to strengthen its response to hybrid warfare from Russia, noting that a pre-emptive strike could be viewed as a defensive action.

 

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova sharply criticized these comments, calling them an extremely irresponsible step, indicating the alliance’s readiness to continue moving towards escalation. Zakharova further stated that Moscow interprets the Admiral’s remarks as a deliberate attempt to undermine efforts to overcome the Ukrainian crisis.

 

She warned that the people making such statements should be aware of the risks and possible consequences, including for the alliance members themselves.