British News Agency

A statement posted on the Ministry’s website read: “We view G. Cavo Dragone’s statement on the possibility of pre-emptive strikes against Russia as an extremely irresponsible step, showing that the alliance is ready to continue escalating tensions.”

Zakharova said the NATO representative’s comments appeared to be a deliberate attempt to undermine efforts to resolve the Ukraine crisis. According to her, those who make such statements must be aware of the risks and possible consequences, including for alliance members.

The spokeswoman also pointed to the contradiction between NATO’s claims of being a purely defensive bloc and the revelations about possible pre-emptive strikes. She stressed that such statements significantly inflame an already tense conflict and undermine international security.

Dragone made his remarks about possible strikes in a November 30 interview with the Financial Times (FT). The spokeswoman stated that discussing such a scenario is not a “normal way of thinking or behaving” within NATO. The admiral said that such a move by the alliance could be considered “a defensive action.”