Russian official: Risk of a wide-ranging conflict in Eurasia is "real"
Moscow, Sept 4 (KUNA) -- The director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergei Naryshkin, said the risk of a large-scale conflict erupting across Eurasia is “real,” accusing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) of seeking to prolong the war in Ukraine in order to drain Russia’s military, technical, and mobilization capabilities.
Naryshkin made these remarks during a speech at the 22nd meeting of heads of security and intelligence agencies of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, held in the Russian city of St. Petersburg on Friday. The meeting focused on ways to enhance cooperation among the security and intelligence agencies of CIS member states amid what Moscow described as growing instability and geopolitical tensions on the international stage.
Naryshkin stated that NATO views prolonging the Ukrainian conflict as the “best means” of curbing Russia’s military and technological capabilities, considering this an “acknowledgment” of the true nature of the war’s objectives. He also accused European countries of participating “almost entirely” in combat operations alongside Ukraine, and said Western intelligence agencies view the post-Soviet space as a confrontation arena.
In his assessment of the European situation, Naryshkin noted that the European Union has been facing economic stagnation since 2008, along with crises in the energy and migration sectors. He argued that the old world order, embodied by the concept of a “united Europe,” refuses to accept “multipolarity” in the Eurasian space, including the formats represented by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the CIS, and considered this approach to be contributing to increased international tensions.
On the issue of Russian security, Naryshkin affirmed that Russia possesses “the strength, capabilities, and resources” necessary to ensure the security of the state and its citizens. He pointed out that the Russian Armed Forces in the Kaliningrad region and in the border areas of northwestern and western Russia are capable of thwarting any aggression “from any direction.”
Regarding cooperation among CIS countries, Naryshkin said that collaboration between their security and intelligence agencies “has proven its worth over time” and constitutes a key element in ensuring stability in the Eurasian region. He explained that the security and intelligence agencies of CIS member states exchange information and plan joint activities and operations aimed at “ensuring the security of their countries,” emphasizing that they cooperate and support one another in an “unstable” external environment.
He noted that the heads of intelligence agencies of CIS countries discussed during the meeting ways to further develop cooperation in the face of what he described as “growing geopolitical chaos” around the world, and to enhance coordination and information sharing among relevant agencies to counter plans by countries that Moscow describes as “unfriendly.” (End) D.A.N. / M.A.A.
