MOSCOW, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday that the country has taken necessary measures to ensure its security amid recent activities of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that pose a direct threat to Russia.
The Russian military has demonstrated that its capabilities and combat readiness can ensure the country's security, Shoigu said at a naval authorities meeting in the Russian city of Severomorsk, where the country's Northern Fleet is headquartered.
Russia is concerned about the NATO plan to deploy a total of 40,000 servicemen and 15,000 units of weapons and military equipment to the Black Sea and Baltic region, he said.
"The alliance conducts up to 40 major training events every year in Europe that have a clear anti-Russian focus," he added.
The defense minister noted NATO's military presence in the Arctic, adding that the situation in the region remains tense due to global competition for resources.
"The United States and its NATO allies are building up maritime and land forces in the Arctic, increasing the intensity of combat training, expanding and modernizing military infrastructure," Shoigu said.
He said that Russia is systematically working towards strengthening the defense capabilities of its Northern Fleet through boosting combat training and supplying more modern equipment. Enditem