MOSCOW, February 1. /TASS/. NATO's Steadfast Defender 2024 drills are aimed not at protecting the alliance but at probing the ground for provocations against Russia, Konstantin Gavrilov, head of the Russian delegation to negotiations on military security and arms control in Vienna, said.

"These NATO exercises have gathered 90,000 soldiers, officers and equipment. The transfer of equipment is in the eastern direction, that is, it imitates the so-called defense of the Suwalki Gap. We have characterized this as a completely obvious provocation, as a strengthening of the alliance not for defense, but for actually probing the ground for possible provocative actions against Russia," he said during a Rossiya-24 TV broadcast.

According to Gavrilov, Moscow also considers the declaration by Germany, the Netherlands and Poland of their intentions to create a military corridor to be provocative actions by NATO. "They actually want to make a much faster transfer of troops and equipment to Poland and the Baltic states," the diplomat pointed out. "How should we treat this, is it a defense? In my opinion, it is not a defense. Russia has repeatedly stated at the highest level that we do not intend to attack or provoke NATO. Obviously, they are going for that very provocation," Gavrilov said.

NATO's Steadfast Defender 2024 drills will take place in Europe from February to May 2024. Thirty-one allies and Sweden will take part in it. As NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia Javier Colomina said in an interview with the Armenpress news agency, the Steadfast Defender drills are aimed at "deterring Russia," which the alliance considers a "threat."