DISINFO: NATO represents a threat to Russian security
SUMMARY
NATO was formed to confront the Soviet Union. There is now neither the Soviet Union nor the Warsaw Treaty, that is, the military alliance established in response to the creation of NATO. However, NATO is still present and even expanding. At the moment of its formation, the Alliance included 12 countries, but the number of members now is 29, while the total military spending of the alliance exceeds 70% of global military spending. Today we must start from the fact that NATO expansion and infrastructure development near the Russian border represent one of the potential threats to our country’s security.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative on Western attempts to encircle Russia and portraying military exercises as security threats.
The claim that NATO is encircling Russia is one of the myths about NATO. Russia's land border is just over 20,000 kilometres long. Of that, less than one-sixteenth (1,215 kilometres), is shared with NATO members. Russia has land borders with 14 countries. Only five of them are NATO members. Outside NATO territory, the Alliance only has a military presence in two places: Kosovo and Afghanistan.
NATO poses no threat to Russia. All Allies reaffirmed at the Brussels Summit that "the Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia". NATO is a defensive alliance. Its purpose is to protect the member states. NATO's exercises and military deployments are not directed against Russia, Belarus or any other country. NATO does not seek confrontation, but it cannot ignore Russia breaking international rules, undermining stability and security. See more for NATO's response to the crisis in Ukraine and security concerns in Central and Eastern Europe here.
For further disinformation cases on NATO's desire to expand its presence near Russia and to attack it, see here and here.