DISINFO: The US participates in military exercises on the Russian border while Russia doesn't do that to the US
SUMMARY
The United States is sending its troops hundreds of thousands of miles away from their soil to conduct military exercises next to Russia's borders while Moscow does not do the same. This creates a feeling of distrust in bilateral affairs and in relations between Washington and Moscow.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about NATO and the US allegedly pursuing a belligerent and hostile agenda against Russia.
Every country has the right to conduct exercises, but it is important that they are conducted transparently and in line with international obligations. NATO exercises are open to observation in line with the OSCE procedures.
NATO is a defensive alliance, whose purpose is to protect its member states. NATO's exercises and military deployments are not directed against Russia – or any other country. Exercises are designed to ensure that NATO forces are trained, able to operate together and ready to respond to any threat from any direction. In this context, US troops participate in these exercises.
See other examples of disinformation on this subject in our database: Military exercises, like Defender, are directed against Russia; the Sea Breeze exercises are directed against Russia; or NATO manoeuvres in Europe are organised to create zones of tension for Moscow.