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Moscow concerned about NATO’s expansion towards Russian borders - Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia considers it as a threat, even though NATO seeks to convince Moscow there is no threat

MOSCOW, October 12. /TASS/. NATO’s expansion towards Russia’s borders does not make Moscow happy, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Al Arabiya, Sky News Arabia and RT.

"It is a military bloc and when its infrastructure facilities are expanding towards our borders, it does not make us happy," Putin said in response to a question if Russia was concerned about NATO’s expansion to the east.

According to him, Russia considers it as a threat, even though NATO seeks to convince Moscow there is no threat. "We have always felt that way and repeatedly told them about it but they kept responding: ‘Have no fear, this is not against you, there is nothing to fear because NATO is transforming, it is not a military organization anymore, it’s not aggressive," Putin said.

The Russian leader noted the NATO’s charter had not been changed. "There is an article <…> about military support for the organization’s members and other things like that," Putin said.

The head of state added that Russia "will work to further improve our weapons so that they are capable of deterring any aggression." "Russia owns the most cutting-edge weapons that no one else in the world has," he stressed.