Russia Hits Back At NATO Plans To Get ‘More Aggressive’

Russia has hit back at comments from NATO’s top military commander after he suggested the alliance could launch “pre-emptive” strikes against Moscow, in the context of tactics like cyber attacks or sabotage.

Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, the chair of NATO’s military committee, told the Financial Times the alliance was mulling over “being more aggressive or being proactive instead of reactive.”

A “pre-emptive” move from NATO could be deemed “defensive” but would be a step away from how the alliance would typically operate, the Italian admiral added.

Dragone’s remarks are “an extremely irresponsible step, indicating the readiness of the alliance to continue to move towards escalation,” Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for Moscow’s foreign ministry, said in comments reported by state media on Monday.

This is a breaking story. More to follow.