The ministry accused Russia and Belarus of insufficient transparency in conducting strategic exercises
BERLIN, September 10. /TASS/. The Estonian Defense Ministry has accused Russia and Belarus of insufficient transparency during the West-2021 strategic exercises.
"We are observing the exercises in close cooperation with our allies, especially in light of the recently launched hybrid operation with migrants [by the Belarusian authorities]. In this combination, "West-2021" and insufficient transparency from both the Russian and Belarusian sides creates additional security risks, " the Estonian defense Ministry said in response to a request from the Funke media group. The quotes are given on Friday.
The European Parliament (EP) also criticized the Russian-Belarusian exercises. The expert of the European People's Party (EPP) faction on defense issues, Michael Galer, in an interview with Funke, claimed that, in his opinion, "West-2021" is part of Moscow's constant war games with muscles in order to intimidate Ukraine, the population of Belarus and NATO partners on the eastern flank."
The deputy chairman of the European Parliament, Nicola Beer, said that " this demonstration of force remains very problematic from the point of view of security policy." "For the EU as a whole, these exercises are not something banal at all, they complicate already tense relations with Russia," she believes.
Earlier, the first deputy head of the Main Department of International Military Cooperation of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Major General Yevgeny Ilyin, said that no more than 6,400 servicemen will take part in certain episodes of the exercises that fall under the Vienna Document of 2011. At the same time, the Vienna Document prescribes the mandatory invitation of observers to the exercises, in some episodes of which at least 13 thousand military personnel participate.
The joint strategic exercises "West-2021" will be held on September 10-16 at the military training grounds of Belarus and Russia. About 200 thousand people, more than 80 planes and helicopters, up to 760 units of military equipment will take part in them. The scenario of the exercises involves responding to the aggravation of the international situation and possible aggression against the Union State. The Russian and Belarusian sides have repeatedly stated the defensive nature of the upcoming maneuvers.
