MOSCOW, April 3. /TASS/. The recent report of the Lithuanian secret services is just another example of hatred against Russia, the Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday.
"If this information is true, then it is just another example of hatred against Russia that the Baltic countries’ authorities, as well as some external forces, have been breeding. This is a total anti-Russian hysteria," Peskov said.
According to him, this kind of rhetoric is not in the interest of these countries’ peoples, let alone their Russian-speaking population. "Moscow has always stood for good relations with the Baltic states and we always feel regret when we see such hysterical Russophobia," the Russian presidential spokesman added.
"Perhaps, they need time and political will to leave this anti-Russian propaganda behind and let their people have access to impartial information."
On Monday, Colonel Remigijus Baltrenas, head of Lithuanian military counterintelligence, presented an annual report on national security threats. He said that the Zapad-2017 (or West-2017) military drills, scheduled to be held in Russia’s western Kaliningrad region as well as on the Belarusian territory, could pave the way for provocations against Lithuania.
"When large-scale drills involving a huge amount of troops are held near your borders, there is always a risk of deliberate and undeliberate provocations," he said.
When asked if the Lithuanian military counterintelligence had any information about provocative plots or just thought them possible, the colonel said that "it is possible."