VIENNA, June 26. /TASS/: Moscow is aware of NATO countries’ attempts at attaining military supremacy, which is seen in the fact that the alliance’s overall military spending is 20 times greater than Russia’s defense budget, the acting chief Russian delegate at the Vienna negotiations on military security and arms control, Andrei Vorobyov, told the OSCE Annual Security Review Conference. TASS obtained a transcript of his statement from Russia’s mission at the OSCE.
"We see the NATO countries’ attempts at gaining military superiority. There is not a hint at restraint in military spending. The alliance’s overall military budget is 20 times Russia’s defense budget," Vorobyov said.
NATO keeps building up its military hardware. "The alliance’s combat air force is seven times larger than Russia’s. Its naval ships outnumber ours by four times, and tanks and artillery, by three times. In the meantime, the Western countries are pushing ahead with a cynical propaganda campaign over a ‘Russian aggression’," Vorobyov said.
"As a result of NATO’s soaring military activity an unpredictable military-political situation is taking shape. We’ve offered the alliance more than once to take mutual steps to ease military tensions. We may start with minor steps, for instance, make a decision on where exercises are to be held and how dangerous incidents can be avoided. There has been no sensible response to this day," the chief Russian delegate said.
