Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu: We Say to Our American and NATO Colleagues: There Is a Balance of Power; Don't Fan the Flames of Hysteria

In a state TV interview, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said that the Americans and NATO were "fanning the flames of hysteria" and exploiting the situation "in order to refill the coffers or so that the military industries would make additional profits." He was speaking on Russia 1 on August 13, 2016.

Sergey Shoigu: Russian-American cooperation in fighting terrorism in the Middle East did not stop NATO's plans to expand eastward. July's [NATO] summit in Warsaw is an example: [NATO] declared the new deployment of battalions in Poland and the Baltic states. This was in order to counter the presumed "growing Russian threat."

Let me tell you this: It is the fifth year in a row that we have been acting according to a previously approved plan of building our armed forces and of rearmament. That's why if anybody thinks that our actions are a reaction to this, that, or the other - that's not true. What outrages us? We say: "Guys, there is a balance. If you exploit the current situation, fanning the flames of hysteria in order to refill your coffers, or so that the military industries will make additional profits, that's your own business."

But what I really want to say to them is: "Stop frightening your own population. Those who are educated and know how to count to 100 have a clear understanding of the situation. I don't understand why they are exacerbating the situation." We, of course, would like our [American and NATO] colleagues to stop, and to understand that we are open to dialogue.

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