"The Russian Defence Ministry is constantly monitoring and registering a high level of military activity by the US and its NATO allies near our borders", Rudskoy told a briefing.
Even amid the coronavirus pandemic, NATO increased the number of drills that appear to target Russia, Rudskoy said.
To expand its ability for surveillance over Russia, NATO is modernising GLOBUS III radar station in Norway, the chief of the main operational directorate said.
The chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate also slammed the United States' "aggressive" military surveillance in the Mediterranean Sea area, adding that this contradicts the agreement on Syria.
"The US Navy's aircraft of the Poseidon family are systematically approaching Russian military bases in Khmeimim and Tartus, when flying over the Eastern Mediterranean. To prevent aggressive surveillance moves, we are forced to scramble our destroyers on duty. Seven cases of this kind happened in April, while in May already 17 such cases were recorded, which is an over two-times increase. We see such flights as contradicting the signed agreements to prevent incidents in Syria's airspace", Rudskoy said.
The US has increased the intensity of its aerial surveillance over the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy said.
"The increasing of the missile defence infrastructure in Poland continues, in addition to the US object deployed in Romania. All the concerns related to the possible placement of Tomahawk cruise missiles there remain in force", Rudskoy added.
Russian General Staff Slams NATO for Planning Drills in Baltics
NATO planned to conduct military drills in the Baltics and the Caucasus on 9 May eve, and only the coronavirus quarantine prevented this, the chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate has stated.
"It is necessary to note that these drills are clearly of an anti-Russian nature. For example, amphibious operations in the Baltics and the Caucasus were expected to be held on the eve of 9 May. This did not happen only due to the quarantine measures. Almost all the combat training operations were conducted at training grounds, located in immediate proximity to our borders. Objects located on the territory of the Russian Federation are seen as possible targets", Rudskoy said.
For the first time since the end of the Cold War, NATO held military drills in the Barents Sea just before 9 May, during which Russian ballistic missiles interception was practiced, Rudskoy added, qualifying these exercises as a provocation.
In the meantime, Russia will move large-scale drills Kavkaz-2020 away from the borders and deeper inside the country.
"We will continue with the policy of de-escalation. These year, the Armed Forces are not planning to hold large drills near borders of NATO member states", Rudskoy told a briefing.
Russia is ready to adjust the location of its drills if NATO responds in kind, the senior military official added.
The country is also ready to agree with NATO minimal distance between military ships and planes and rules for the interaction of personnel, Rudskoy said.
"Today, when the world is focusing its efforts on fighting the spread of the coronavirus infection, it is necessary to reduce confrontation, refrain from aggressive activities and show of force", Rudskoy said.
At the same time NATO has not paid attention to Russia's proposals on de-escalation, Rudskoy said.
"All of our ideas on easing military tensions were laid out in the letter of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Our proposals were de facto ignored", Rudskoy said.
Despite the ongoing global pandemic, NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Latvia held military exercises in April, which saw roughly 600 troops and 100 military vehicles deployed in the south of the country close to the city of Daugavpils.
Russia Records High Level of US Military Activity Near Country's Borders
The chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the Russian General Staff further elaborated that Russia has recorded high level of US and its NATO allies' military activity near its borders.
"The Russian Defence Ministry is constantly monitoring and registering a high level of military activity by the US and its NATO allies near our borders", Rudskoy told a briefing.
Even amid the coronavirus pandemic, NATO increased the number of drills that appear to target Russia, Rudskoy said.
To expand its ability for surveillance over Russia, NATO is modernising GLOBUS III radar station in Norway, the chief of the main operational directorate said.
Over the past month, the United States has significantly increased B1-B strategic bombers flights near Russia's borders, including 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) away from the Kaliningrad region, according to the chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate.
The air forces and navies of the US and its allies are now operating more actively near Russia's borders, Rudskoy said.
"In April of this year, B-1B strategic bombers conducted one flight over the Kamchatka Peninsula, while in May already five such flights were registered ... During these flights, US aircraft approached the border of the Kaliningrad region by a distance of up to 10 kilometres". Rudskoy said.
Apart from that, the B-1B strategic bombers flew over Ukraine for the first time ever in late May, Rudskoy added.
