MOSCOW, February 8. /TASS/. NATO’s activities, in particular the Steadfast Defender 2024 exercise, raise the risk of unintended military incidents, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told Rossiya-24 television.

"In giant theaters, it (NATO’s activity - TASS) raises the risk of unintended military incidents, so we should be ready," the senior Russian diplomat said as he pledged every effort on the part of Russia to ensure the country’s security and defense capacity.

According to Grushko, the exercise is aimed at showcasing the alliance’s power and is part of a hybrid war being against Russia.

NATO’s Steadfast Defender 2024 exercise is being held in Europe from February to May. Thirty-one member states and NATO hopeful Sweden are taking part in the drills. The bloc’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia Javier Colomina said in an interview with the Armenpress news agency that the drills are aimed at deterring Russia, which the alliance views as a threat.