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The spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, dismissed accusations by NATO
this week that Russia is engaged in hybrid attacks on its member
states, saying this was misleading "misinformation" aimed at
distracting people from the alliance's activities.
It was NATO that had waged a hybrid war with Russia by
supporting Ukraine with arms, intelligence and finances, she
said in a statement.
"Right now, NATO's largest exercise since the Cold War,
Steadfast Defender, is taking place near Russia's borders.
According to their scenario, coalition's actions against Russia
are being practiced using all the instruments, including hybrid
and conventional weapons," she said in a statement.
"We have to admit that NATO is seriously preparing for a
'potential conflict' with us."
Relations between Russia and the West have been at their most
hostile in decades following the start of Russia's military
conflict in Ukraine in 2022.
Announcing the start of the drills in January, NATO said 90,000
troops would take part, rehearsing how U.S. troops could
reinforce European allies in countries bordering Russia and on
the alliance's eastern flank if a conflict were to flare up. The
drills, NATO's largest exercise since the Cold War, are set to
run through May.
Russia said at the time the drills marked an "irrevocable
return" of the alliance to Cold War schemes.
(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Frances Kerry)
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