As it became known “Kommersant”, Russia and NATO could not agree on the refusal from military exercises and demonstration of military restraint for the period of the pandemic. A letter with a proposal to pause the military operation to the Secretary-General of the Alliance Jens Stoltenberg has written to the Minister of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov. But Brussels responded that the activity of NATO is defensive in nature, and its intensification in Eastern Europe due to the Russian threat. Instead of freezing maneuvers Jens Stoltenberg has again urged Sergey Lavrov to update the Vienna document on confidence-building measures and security of 2011. However, Moscow does not see in it sense and, in turn, already declared that its activity is defensive in nature, and its gain at the borders with the Baltic States due to the threat from NATO.“B” became aware of the exchange of letters between the Russian foreign Ministry and the headquarters of NATO on the question of the limits of military activities on the European territory for the period of the pandemic coronavirus infection. 25 April, “Kommersant” wrote that Russia calls upon the Alliance to go for a mutual cancellation of the exercises, but then in NATO, “Kommersant” said that official requests on this account from Moscow did not arrive. According to “Kommersant”, a message signed by Sergei Lavrov in the end, it was sent to Jens Stoltenberg.According to the Russian side, this joint solution in the spirit of “military restraint” would be a “constructive, positive and healthy step” amid a flurry of negative news. Specific implementation steps of this initiative were asked to discuss on a military level. It was argued that Russia unilaterally has already made a noticeable decrease in military activity near its borders with NATO.So, June 5 start of the U.S.-Polish exercises in the framework of large-scale multinational maneuvers under the guidance of USA Defender of Europe 2020 (the”Protector of Europe 2020″). Initially it was planned that the Defender of Europe will be the largest in 25 years, the maneuvers and they will be attended by over 37 thousand soldiers from 18 NATO countries and partner countries of the Alliance.But because of the pandemic, in March, the teachings had to be stopped. Now they will resume in a truncated scale. The Russian foreign Ministry, commenting on these teachings, said earlier that NATO is going to “striking force” on Russia’s borders. On the abolition of such military activity was in particular focused initiative of Moscow.Russian Deputy foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told “Kommersant” that it received from the Alliance response to the letter to Sergey Lavrov, the Russian side “disappointed”. According to him, NATO officials “dropped to hardened the positions they traditionally held and practiced without regard to the pandemic and (new.— “B”) of the Russian proposals”.The position of NATO, “Kommersant” explained the official representative of the Alliance Oana Lungescu. According to her, Th��NS Stoltenberg in his reply wrote what, from the point of view of NATO, the contribution of the “Russia could make in enhancing transparency and risk mitigation in Europe.” “NATO’s actions are strictly defensive, proportionate and in line with our international obligations. Our increased forward presence in the Eastern part of the Alliance is a response to Russia’s use of military force against its neighbors and building up its military potential in the Baltic region and beyond,” she said, “Kommersant”.Oana Lungescu said: “In contrast with the proposal from the Russian side we see that the Russian military activities and exercises continue, including continued large-scale sudden teachings and unprofessional behaviour of the pilots in the Baltic sea and the Mediterranean sea”. Complete folding of the exercise from the Russian side do not. So, at the end of April, the Baltic fleet conducted several exercises involving ships, aircraft, helicopters, combat vehicles and naval infantry in Kaliningrad region.”We call on Russia to follow the existing rules of transparency, including on military exercises and deployment,” said Oana Lungescu. In addition, she said, Jens Stoltenberg once again urged Russia to update the Vienna document on confidence-building measures and security of 2011. We will remind, the agreement provides for a broad exchange of information on armed forces, defense planning and budgets. In the framework of the Vienna document countries are mutual inspection are notification exercises. However, NATO believes that this tool is outdated, and for several years urged Moscow to upgrade it. On the Russian side says that cosmetic changes to the treaties will not save the situation, but rather “legitimise” in writing the current deplorable state of security in Europe (see “Kommersant” on 5 December 2019).”We repeatedly explained to NATO, for what reasons we do not consider them ideas on modernization of the Vienna document justified and appropriate. But they believe that Russia needs them,— said “Kommersant” Sergei Ryabkov.— If NATO countries really want to move this question, they would consider what to offer Russia and what her real interest in ensuring its own national security.Unilateral concessions to the North Atlantic Alliance, we can’t go”.Last week the head of the defense Ministry Sergei Shoigu said that the West is now the greatest threat from the standpoint of military security of Russia. He said that in the Western military district in 2020 have already conducted more than 30 exercises. In the current year it is planned to spend 28 organizational measures p�� to improve the fighting strength of troops, synchronized with the supply of about 2 thousand units of new and upgraded equipment. “Now the main efforts of the district command aimed at training command-staff exercises with groups of the Baltic fleet and 6th army (its headquarters is stationed in St. Petersburg.— “Kommersant”)”,— said Sergey Shoigu (quoted by TASS). According to him, the exercises are “purely defensive in nature”.Elena Chernenko
