MOSCOW, December 28. /TASS/. Informational pressure aimed at discrediting the Russian army has been strengthening in the last several years, Russian First Deputy Defense Minister Ruslan Tsalikov told the Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star) newspaper.

"We need to admit that informational pressure aimed at discreding the great work being done on strengthening the Russian army, has been increasing in the last several years. Media and communications have become a sphere of very serious confrontation. Moreover, information has turned into a powerful and destructive weapon with necessary skills and sufficient resources," Tsalikov said.

He added that the Russian Defense Ministry has evidence that several countries are waging a coordinated effort to discredit Russian authorities, politicians and journalists with the help of particular media. "At the same time, informational pressure aimed at the leadership of the Russian Armed Forces at all levels is only expected to increase in the nearest future ," he noted.

The Russian Defense Ministry will not leave "the dirty methods" of informational confrontation without an adequate response, Tsalikov said. "We would want representatives of the media industry, Russian media to not be 'obstacles' in this informational confrontation, but at least to be allies," he noted.

"In the current situation, not everyone likes the Russian Armed Forces. That's what we aim for. However, there are ploys and plans to discredit the Russian army, and we will never allow this. We can only fight them with openness," he concluded.