Shoigu claimed in a meeting of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Council of Defense Ministers that NATO is using the Ukrainian crisis as a pretext for building up its groups. Another stage of the alliance's expansion has been launched. Military infrastructure is being modernized in Eastern and Central Europe, strike weapons are being deployed, and the scale and intensity of joint exercises are increasing".
Russia has seen the alliance of NATO with Hungary, Poland and Balkan as a security threat to their country.First and foremost, is the fear that an organisation with such a large military presence close to its borders can pose a threat to Russian security since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The alliance is one of the most powerful military blocs in the world. Its strong nuclear arsenal and advanced military capabilities make it a formidable opponent, and have caused Russians to believe they are at a disadvantage.
Furthermore, NATO has shown no sign of slowing its buildup of forces in Eastern Europe, further exacerbating this fear. Finally, the close relationship between NATO and countries such as Ukraine and Georgia has been seen as an encroachment on Russia's 'sphere of influence', and is viewed as a direct challenge to Russia's status as a major regional power. This further complicates the relationship between Russia and the alliance, as Russia fears that NATO is encroaching on what it believes to be its territorial interests.
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