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Russia will always counter US 'neocolonialist strategy,' defense minister vows

The US has already tested this strategy in Iraq and Libya, according to Sergei Shoigu

MOSCOW, July 11. /TASS/. Russia will always counter the US neocolonialist strategy aimed at weakening legitimate governments in other countries, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in an interview with the Italian daily Il Giornale published on Wednesday.

"The issue at hand is the neocolonialist strategy, which the US has already tested in Iraq and Libya and which boils down to supporting any, even the wildest ideologies to weaken legitimate governments," the minister said.

According to Shoigu, Russia, "which advocates equal and mutually beneficial cooperation with any countries as part of the multipolar world concept, will always be an obstacle to the implementation of such strategies."

The minister explained that the key stages of the neocolonialist strategy are weakening the legitimate leadership, staging the use of weapons of mass destruction or humanitarian disasters and the use of military force to create "controlled chaos." All that, he said, creates favorable conditions for draining countries of their wealth to the US economy by transnational corporations.

Threat to US dominance

Washington considers Russia as a threat to its global dominance, according to Shoigu.

"Russia has been regaining its strength so it is now considered to be not an ally but a threat to the United States’ global dominance," he said. At the same time, in Shoigu’s words, the West "continues its military build-up near our borders" while accusing Moscow of making aggressive plans.

In this regard, the Russian defense minister pointed out that NATO had increased the number of troops deployed to the Baltic states, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria from 2,000 to 15,000, with the possibility of a further increase to 60,000. Shoigu also mentioned a statement by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made on Tuesday that by 2020, the alliance planned to have "30 mechanized battalions, 30 air squadrons and 30 combat vessels ready to use within 30 days or less." "All this is happening right near Russia’s western borders," Shoigu stressed.