NATO nuclear drills fuel tensions amid Ukrainian conflict: Kremlin

MOSCOW, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) — Fresh nuclear drills announced by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are escalating tensions amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Monday.
NATO announced the start of its nuclear exercise Steadfast Noon on Monday, calling the drills “an important test of the Alliance’s nuclear deterrent and sends a clear message to any adversary that NATO will protect and defend all Allies.”
“In the context of a hot war, which is being waged within the framework of the Ukrainian conflict, of course, such exercises lead to nothing other than a further escalation of tensions,” Peskov said.
Meanwhile, commenting on a statement by German foreign intelligence chief Bruno Kahl about the alleged ability of the Russian forces to attack NATO countries by the end of this decade, Peskov said that such claims are inaccurate and illogical.
The spokesperson said that Russia has never moved towards NATO with its military infrastructure, while NATO brought its infrastructure closer to Russia’s borders. ■