Lithuanian President: Russia is rehearsing attacks on its neighbors
The President of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaite, speaking at the UN General Assembly, said that Zapad-2017 joint exercises of Russia and Belarus are part of the information war and a rehearsal for a Russian attack on neighboring countries.
"Today, the attention of the world is drawn to North Korea and other regions, but the same methods of blackmail and aggression are used in Ukraine and along NATO’s eastern border. About 100,000 Russian servicemen are taking part in Zapad-2017 exercises along the borders of the Baltic States and Poland even in the Arctic," noted Grybauskaite.
In her opinion, Russia, by conducting such exercises, "is rehearsing aggressive scenarios against neighboring states, teaching its army to attack."
The President of Lithuania believes that the Russian exercises are part of the information war, which is aimed at spreading fear.
Grybauskaite stressed that Russia's military arsenal, apart from weapons, is the spread of false news and aggressive propaganda.
"Despite the special responsibility that has been imposed on the Russian Federation - the protection of international peace as a permanent member of the Security Council - Russia violates the UN Charter. It attacked Georgia, illegally annexed the Crimea, and directly participates in the war in eastern Ukraine," the Lithuanian leader said.
Prior to Grybauskaite’s speech, the Russian Federation delegation left the hall.