Ivan Konovalov, a military expert and development director of the Foundation for Assistance to Technologies of the 21st Century, believes that the United States may try to arrange provocations along the maritime borders of the Russian Federation.
He stated this in an interview with REN TV, Izvestia reports. The expert noted that the Russian side should be ready for such a development of events.
According to Konovalov, against the background of exercises in the Black and Mediterranean Seas, the activity of NATO and the United States near Russian territory “has intensified to the utmost.” He also stressed that they are using the Montreux Convention. It limits the presence of ships of non-Black Sea powers in the region, but allows their rotation every three weeks. Thus, foreign ships practically do not leave the water area and threaten Russia.
“They certainly do not lead to a decrease in tension. They only increase the degree of general tension and do not contribute to the resumption of some kind of negotiation process, they only strengthen and intensify mutual confrontation”, said Konovalov.
He also drew attention to the fact that NATO exercises near the borders of the Russian Federation are almost constant. Thus, he does not exclude the possibility that the bloc may indeed commit a serious provocation. That is why Russia must be ready to repel the threat if necessary.
Earlier News Front reported that the US destroyer Porter entered the Black Sea. Russian military vessels have established surveillance over him and will stop any attempt to violate the country’s security, if necessary.