DISINFO: NATO plans to attack Russia
SUMMARY
NATO’s militarisation is aimed against the Russian Federation because, as Stoltenberg has said, there is no threat from Russia, but the Alliance is preparing. What is NATO preparing if it is not defence? It is preparing an attack.
RESPONSE
Recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets portraying NATO as a hostile alliance planning to attack Russia. This claim was made in the context of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The claim refers to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s statement ahead of the meetings of NATO Ministers of Defence in Brussels on 14 February 2024: ‘We can never take peace for granted. But there is no imminent military threat against any NATO Ally. NATO will continue to ensure that there is no room for miscalculation in Moscow about our readiness and resolve to protect all Allies.’ Stoltenberg did not say a word about an alleged plan to attack Russia. He was speaking about the Alliance being ready to protect its members from a possible Russian attack.
Recently, Russian politicians have adopted particularly aggressive rhetoric against NATO, accusing it of direct involvement in the war in Ukraine, which is in fact Moscow's unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Kyiv. On 29 August 2023, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, stated on X that since Ukrainians have declared any of their strikes against Russian targets, including Crimea, are sanctioned by NATO, Russia has the right to engage in war with NATO.
These and other similar Russian threats have forced NATO to ensure its security by various methods, including military exercises. Steadfast Defender was launched on 22 January 2024 and will last till 31 May 2024. Following Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, NATO member countries revised their Strategic Concept. The North Atlantic Alliance recognised Russia as ‘the most significant and direct threat’ to security in Europe, but emphasised at the same time that ‘NATO does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to the Russian Federation.’
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