Vladimir Putin Endorses Document Designating United States, NATO As National Security Threats To Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently endorsed a document that lists the United States as among the greatest threats to Russia’s national security. The security assessment also makes allegations against the European Union and NATO.
Entitled “About the Strategy of National Security of Russian Federation,” the document outlines the nation’s defense strategy and accuses the U.S. as well as NATO-member countries of curbing Russia’s impact on world events.
According to the document, Russia has been increasing its influence to solve global conflicts and this has caused additional pressure from the West.
“Russia’s strengthening is taking part on the background of new threats to national security that have a complicated and interlinked character. The independent domestic and foreign policy conducted by Russia triggers counteraction from the U.S. and their allies seeking to keep up their domination in global affairs.”
This is the first time Putin’s government has publicly declared the U.S. and NATO to be national security threats. However, tension between the West and Moscow has been building for quite some time.
In the past, the U.S. and E.U. have accused Russia of helping insurgents fight in eastern Ukraine. The recently released Russian document charges the U.S. and the E.U. with supporting an “anti-constitutional coup d’etat in Ukraine.”
In September, Putin ordered air strikes against anti-government rebels in Syria to support Russian ally and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The country has been fighting a civil war for the last five years and the U.S., Russia, and International Syrian Support Group have been desperately seeking a diplomatic solution to end the conflict.
As reported by CNN News, the U.S. criticized Russia for the air strikes just last week.
A statement from the U.S. State Department blames the Putin military of indiscriminately targeting medical facilities, schools, and markets. The U.S. says the strikes have killed hundreds of noncombatants, displaced over 130,000 Syrians, and have made it near impossible for humanitarian aid to reach the area.
The Russian Defense Ministry fired back saying there is no evidence to support the U.S.’s position. The Ministry went on to say it was American military operations that caused the deaths and the allegation against them was just a cover up.
In a related Inquisitr report, a top leader in one of the most powerful rebel groups fighting against the Assad government in Syria was killed late last month. The death of Zahran Allouch is believed to be the result of a Syrian military operation using missiles provided by the Putin government.
According to the written assessment, NATO expansion is an imminent threat to Russian security as well.
“The buildup of the military potential of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and vesting it with global functions implemented in violations of norms of international law, boosting military activity of the bloc’s countries, further expansion of the alliance, the approach of its military infrastructure to Russian borders create a threat to the national security.”
A spokesperson for NATO told CNN News that the organization rejects the baseless claim that NATO policies are a threat to Russian national security.
“NATO enlargement is not directed against anyone. Each sovereign nation has the right to choose for itself whether it joins any treaty or alliance. This is a fundamental principle of European security that Russia has also subscribed to and should respect.”
The document, which deems the United States a national security threat, was validated by Vladimir Putin December 31 and replaces the previous 2009 version signed by former President Dmitry Medvedev.
[Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Images]
