MOSCOW, October 16. /TASS/. Russian presidential press-secretary Dmitry Peskov has dismissed US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s rhetoric to the effect Russia was on NATO’s doorstep as unprofessional and alarmist.

“We can only regret that rather emotional, alarmist and unprofessional statements are being made,” Peskov told TASS. “Surely, they by no means reflect the real state of affairs.”

The realities can easily be seen if one takes NATO maps of 1991 and 2012, he said.

“Then nobody will feel in the mood of making any statements, emotional or whatever,” he remarked.

Speaking at the Association of the US Army’s annual conference on Wednesday Hagel called upon the military to be prepared “to deal with Russia” which, he argued, was “on NATO’s doorstep.”

“The demands on the (US) Army will grow more diverse and complicated. Threats from terrorists and insurgents will remain with us for a long time, but we must also deal with a revisionist Russia - with its modern and capable army - on NATO’s doorstep,” he claimed.