Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Monday morning to discuss the progress of the country’s main military exercises. The defense chief also gave the president a sense of the size and scope of the tests.
According to the minister, “the exercises are taking place on a large scale, and they are also taking place in the Western Military District. In fact, they happen on all fleets. [da marinha russa]which are those present in the Barents Sea and the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Pacific Fleet”.
Russia began the active phase of military exercises in Belarus last Thursday (10). The country denies planning an attack and says it has the right to move its troops as it sees fit in its own territory and that of its allies with their agreement. It also claims that its military exercises are defensive in nature.
“Troops from almost all military districts, including the Central District, the Eastern District and the Northern Fleet, are participating in the tests. Some of the exercises are coming to an end, others will be completed in the near future,” Shoigu said.
The minister added that “some things still need to be done, given the scale of the exercises that have been planned and started”.
Diplomacy chief sees a chance for dialogue with the West
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Putin on Monday that he sees a “chance” for diplomatic dialogue with the West on Russia’s security concerns, saying he recommends such efforts continue.
In a broadcast broadcast by Russian state television, Putin questioned: “In your opinion, Sergey Victorovich [Lavrov]is there a chance that we can reach agreement with our partners on key issues that concern us, or is it just an attempt to drag us into an endless negotiation process that has no logical solution?”
In his response, Lavrov stressed that Russian officials warned “against the inadmissibility of endless discussions on issues that need to be resolved today”, but added that “there is always a chance” that diplomacy will work.
Source: CNN Brasil
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