Russia has reacted sharply to statements by NATO's top military chief, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, who in an interview with the Financial Times said that the alliance could consider a "preemptive strike" as part of its response to Moscow's hybrid warfare.
According to him, such an action could be considered "protective".
This Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry, through spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, described these statements as "extremely irresponsible" and a sign that NATO is pushing towards further escalation.
Zakharova said that such statements "constitute a deliberate attempt to undermine efforts to resolve the Ukrainian crisis."
Zakharova also warned that people making such statements should be aware of the risks and possible consequences, including those that could come to the alliance's member countries themselves.