Adnkronos Moscow, Feb. 13 (Adnkronos) – Russia will respond to the growing military presence of the United States on its northern borders. Artem Studennikov, director of the First European Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said this in an interview with Ria Novosti. "It is quite natural - he said - that such a development of hostile military activity in the immediate vicinity of our borders cannot remain without effective response measures, including military-technical ones, by Russia".
The prerogative to make specific decisions on this issue belongs to the Ministry of Defense, the diplomat explained. Recently, he specified, Washington has intensified military cooperation with its satellites in Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea region; they have been joined by Finland and Sweden. At the same time, Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it does not pose a threat to these countries.
"It should be absolutely clear to everyone that, despite NATO's attempts to turn the Baltic Sea into its 'internal lake', the Russian Federation will ensure reliable protection of its legitimate interests in the Baltic region," Studennikov stressed.