West Still Clinging to 'Russia's Strategic Defeat' Rhetoric - Chief of Russian General Staff

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The West pursues the course toward Russia's strategic defeat, making the implementation of confidence-building measures in the area of European security irrelevant, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov said on Thursday.

"Due to the West's pursuit of the course toward Russia's strategic defeat, the implementation of confidence-building measures in the area of European security has lost its relevance," Gerasimov told a briefing for foreign military attaches on the results of the activities of the Russian Defense Ministry in 2023.

There are also prospects for growing confrontation between the West and Russia in the political and economic areas, the senior military official added.

NATO Near Russian Borders

In particular, Gerasimov pointed out to the fact that about 40 major NATO military exercises are held every year near the western borders of Russia, with scenarios based on armed confrontation with Russia.

"The high intensity of operational and combat training activities carried out by NATO allied forces remains high. Every year, about 40 major exercises are held near the western borders of Russia, the scenarios of which are based on armed confrontation with our country. Increasingly, states that are not members of the alliance are being involved in them," Gerasimov said.

The West seeks to create new hot spots and support conflicts in the Balkans, Transnistria and Transcaucasia, Central Asia and Afghanistan, he said.

"The United States and its allies are systematically destroying the norms of international law, undermining the role of the UN as a key institution harmonizing interstate relations. Washington's deliberate actions destroyed all the basic agreements that formed the basis of the arms control system," Gerasimov added.

The Russian military contingent, however, continues to carry out tasks in Transcaucasia as a guarantor of the possibility of building a peaceful life and returning residents to the region, Gerasimov highlighted.

The Chief of the General Staff drew attention to the NATO's increasing military presence in the Arctic and developing military infrastructure near Russia's borders.

"The United States and NATO are focused on ensuring their dominance in the Arctic and containing Russia in the region. For these purposes, the collective West is increasing its military presence in high latitudes and developing military infrastructure near the borders of Russia. As a result, the conflict potential in the region is increasing," Gerasimov said.

Speaking about measures taken by the West against Russia, Gerasimov said that US sanctions have only provoked a food crisis in Africa and led to escalation of internal conflicts on the continent.

"Washington's sanctions against Russia have provoked a food crisis in Africa, which is exacerbating social tensions and dissatisfaction of the public with ruling regimes," Gerasimov told the briefing.

To achieve their own "neocolonialist" goals, the US and its European allies are trying to blackmail African leaders, the senior military official added.

US Prolongs Ukrainian Conflict

The United States is prolonging the Ukraine conflict by providing extensive military support to Kiev, Valery Gerasimov said.

"Today, Washington is making consequent efforts to prolong the Ukraine conflict. For that reason, significant military and military-technical support is being provided to Ukraine," he told the briefing.

Around 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have undergone training in the US and Europe, the senior Russian military official added.

"The United Kingdom and France have provided over 200 guided air-to-surface Storm Shadow and Scalp missiles to Kiev that are being used to target civilian objects in the Crimea and Donbass, among other things," Gerasimov also said.

Ukraine spares no effort to commit nuclear terrorism by sending drones with explosives to target the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, the official told military attaches.

Palestine-Israel Conflict

Gerasimov also laid the blame upon Washington for the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli confrontation.

"It's worth noting that irresponsible policies of the US have led to another wave of escalation in the Middle East. Long-standing confrontation between Palestine and Israel has turned into an open armed confrontation with numerous casualties of civilians on both sides. At the moment, the number of those killed is estimated at tens of thousands of people, with prospects for settlement remaining quite uncertain," he said.

Tensions in Asia-Pacific

Speaking about the AUKUS partnership between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, Gerasimov said it threatens the global regime of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

"Interaction within the framework of AUKUS allows participating countries not only to modernize their armed forces in terms of conventional weapons, but also to develop their nuclear component, which is detrimental to the global regime of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We note the build-up of NATO's power potential in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.

The Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces remarked that the potential of a conflict in the Asia-Pacific region has sharply increased due to actions by the West.

"There is a sharp increase of the conflict potential in the Asia-Pacific region. Its main reason is actions of Western countries aimed at undermining the ASEAN-centered architecture of security that has formed there and proved to be effective," Gerasimov told the briefing.

In particular, tensions have been escalating around Myanmar, Taiwan and the Korean Peninsula, the senior military official added.

Russian Armed Forces Priorities in 2024

One of the priorities of the Russian armed forces in 2024 remains military cooperation with the armies of foreign countries, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov said.

"Military cooperation with the armies of foreign countries remains one of the priorities. It is planned to conduct an active military-delegation exchange and joint operational and combat training activities with the defense departments of friendly countries. We count on the active participation of military attaches in maintaining constructive interaction," Gerasimov said.

The course towards developing a comprehensive strategic partnership with China and India continues, he said, adding that active and comprehensive cooperation has been established with North Korea.