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Military drills

NATO’s activity near Russian borders forces Moscow to take security measures — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov pointed out that NATO with its military infrastructure had come in contact with Russia's borders rather than had just been around them

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov Sergei Bobylev/TASS

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov

© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. NATO’s activity near Russian borders forces Russia to take security measures, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

The Russian presidential spokesman thus commented on the alliance’s drills dubbed Agile Spirit 2021 that had kicked off in Georgia with the participation of 12 NATO member states and also Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine.

"This is yet another proof that NATO with its military infrastructure is around our borders. Moreover, it has come in contact with our borders rather than is just around them," Peskov pointed out.

"This, of course, prompts us to keep a close watch on the situation. Importantly, this makes us take measures to ensure our security. This is what our president and our defense minister have spoken about on many occasions as well as our representatives at various levels," the Kremlin spokesman said.

NATO’s Agile Spirit 2021 drills kicked off on July 26. The alliance’s drills involve over 2,500 troops from Azerbaijan, Great Britain, Germany, Georgia, Spain, Italy, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the United States, Turkey, Ukraine and Estonia. More than 1,500 troops are from Georgia and another 700 personnel from the US.

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