MOSCOW/WASHINGTON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Russia’s defence minister on Tuesday accused U.S. bombers of rehearsing a nuclear strike on Russia from two different directions earlier this month and complained that the planes had come within 20 km (12.4 miles) of the Russian border.
But the Pentagon said its drills were announced publicly at the time and adhered to international protocols.
Moscow’s accusation comes at a time of high tension with Washington over Ukraine, with U.S. officials voicing concerns about a possible Russian attack on its southern neighbour - a suggestion the Kremlin has dismissed as false.
Moscow has in turn accused the United States, NATO and Ukraine of provocative and irresponsible behaviour, pointing to U.S. arms supplies to Ukraine, Ukraine’s use of Turkish strike drones against Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, and NATO military exercises close to its borders.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Moscow had noted a significant increase in the activity by U.S. strategic bombers, which he said had carried out 30 flights close to Russia this month. That, he said, was 2.5 times more than the same period last year.
Russia was already throwing assistance to rebellious forces in Ukraine and staging their military for an invasion that they denied was going to happen. The NATO drills where the same annual practices as every year and publicly announced in accordance with international norms. Yet Russia did in fact invade despite proclamations to the contrary. Even if it where to be credibility marked as a defensive action, that would hardly translate to an extended assault on territory far outside their borders with a demand to accept annexation of not only newly occupied ground but territory they assumed control of in 2014 in Crimea without provocation.
But the Pentagon said its drills were announced publicly at the time and adhered to international protocols.
Moscow’s accusation comes at a time of high tension with Washington over Ukraine, with U.S. officials voicing concerns about a possible Russian attack on its southern neighbour - a suggestion the Kremlin has dismissed as false.
Moscow has in turn accused the United States, NATO and Ukraine of provocative and irresponsible behaviour, pointing to U.S. arms supplies to Ukraine, Ukraine’s use of Turkish strike drones against Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, and NATO military exercises close to its borders.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Moscow had noted a significant increase in the activity by U.S. strategic bombers, which he said had carried out 30 flights close to Russia this month. That, he said, was 2.5 times more than the same period last year.
Russia was already throwing assistance to rebellious forces in Ukraine and staging their military for an invasion that they denied was going to happen. The NATO drills where the same annual practices as every year and publicly announced in accordance with international norms. Yet Russia did in fact invade despite proclamations to the contrary. Even if it where to be credibility marked as a defensive action, that would hardly translate to an extended assault on territory far outside their borders with a demand to accept annexation of not only newly occupied ground but territory they assumed control of in 2014 in Crimea without provocation.