Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Aleksandr Grushko, in an interview with RIA Novosti, stated that NATO views the Baltic-Scandinavian region as the most likely zone of potential confrontation with Russia.

According to him, the alliance is actively working on increasing its combat capabilities and expanding its military presence across key geographic directions and in all operational domains. He emphasized that particular focus is being placed on the Baltic-Scandinavian region within this strategy.

In recent years, Russia has reported a sharp increase in NATO activity near its western borders. The alliance describes these actions as deterrence of Russian aggression. Moscow, in turn, has repeatedly expressed concern over the buildup of NATO forces in Europe. The Foreign Ministry has stated that Russia remains open to dialogue with NATO, but only on an equal basis, and that the West must abandon its course toward militarization of the continent.