MOSCOW, November 13. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin finds it inappropriate for Russia to carry out its maneuvers in the Black Sea in response to NATO exercises there, there is no need to escalate the situation. He said it in an interview with Pavel Zarubin, the host of the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin program.
"I should say that our Defense Ministry also came up with a proposal to hold its own unplanned exercises in this water area, but I believe that this is inappropriate and there is no need to further escalate the situation there. Therefore, the Russian Defense Ministry does not go further than escorting aircraft and ships," he said.
He drew attention to the fact that now the United States and its NATO allies are now conducting unplanned exercises in the Black Sea.
Moreover, "not only they formed a fairly powerful naval group there, but they also use aviation, including strategic aviation, in the course of these exercises," Putin noted.
"This is partly the answer to your previous question of where and how our strategic missile carriers fly," Putin told the host of the program.
"B-51 are used, which is rather old aircraft, but it not the carriers that matter, the matter is that they carry strategic weapons. This is a serious challenge for us," Putin said.