Christine Drews Sieger
Russia has issued a fresh warning to NATO, saying any attack on its territory would trigger a decisive and destructive response.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry issued a sharp warning to NATO countries during a briefing in Moscow on Wednesday.
According to the Russian state news agency TASS, spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that Moscow would respond forcefully if a NATO member state attacked Russian territory.
She said: “Once again, I want to emphasize that, in the event of aggression by any NATO state against any Russian region, no one should have any doubt that our response to the initiators of this insane adventure will be decisive and destructive.”
Conflict with the West
The briefing was not solely about NATO. Zakharova also criticized the EU, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine.
According to TASS, she said that Russia’s new entry regulations for EU diplomats are a response to the treatment of Russian diplomats in Europe.
At the same time, Moscow rejected Kaja Kallas’s statements regarding Chinese involvement and described the allegations as baseless.
Ukraine in Focus
Another major topic was Ukraine. Zakharova repeated Russian claims about U.S.-funded biological laboratories in the country.
According to Zakharova, the research focused on diseases that, in her view, are not naturally found in the region.
The briefing also included criticism of Kyiv, new EU sanctions, Moldova, Armenia, the United Kingdom, and the situation in the Middle East.
Moscow says it will respond to new sanctions and maintain its diplomatic countermeasures as long as Russian representatives continue to face restrictions in Europe, TASS reports.
What do we Know About the Laboratories?
Since 2005, the United States has invested approximately $200 million in cooperation with Ukraine through the Biological Threat Reduction Program.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the program has supported 46 Ukrainian laboratories, healthcare facilities, and diagnostic centers focused on biosafety, disease surveillance, and the management of infectious diseases.
U.S. officials state that the laboratories are Ukrainian-owned and form part of efforts to detect and contain disease outbreaks in both humans and animals.
The program was established as part of efforts to reduce threats posed by dangerous biological materials following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
NATO’s View of Its Relationship with Russia
NATO has repeatedly rejected claims that the alliance poses a threat to Russia.
On its official website, NATO states that it does not seek confrontation with Russia but will respond collectively to what the alliance describes as Russian threats and hostile actions.
At the same time, NATO emphasizes that it is a defensive alliance whose primary mission is to protect the territory and security of its member states.
Sources: TASS, U.S. Department of Defense, NATO
