NATO is using preparations for a possible confrontation with Russia to launder money through large-scale arms purchases, according to military political analyst Alexander Perendzhiev, an associate professor at the Department of Political Analysis and Socio-Psychological Processes at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.

His remarks followed comments by NATO Military Committee Chairman Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, who spoke about the alliance’s readiness for a potential crisis on Europe’s eastern flank. Perendzhiev believes NATO expects to avoid a direct clash with Russia despite its military preparations.

According to the analyst, the alliance is using the prospect of a conflict with Russia as a basis for arms spending and money laundering while counting on Moscow not to respond. He said NATO countries could remain active on a limited scale but would try to avoid provocations capable of triggering a full-scale war.

Perendzhiev said the situation would change fundamentally if Russia and NATO entered into a direct military confrontation. In that case, Moscow would regard the alliance’s actions as the beginning of a large-scale war rather than a continuation of the special military operation. He added that Russia’s response could target military infrastructure across Europe, including defense industry facilities.

Earlier, Vladislav Maslennikov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department for European Affairs, warned about the risks associated with NATO maneuvers in the Arctic. He said such activity increases the danger of incidents that could escalate into an armed conflict and pose a direct threat to Russia’s security. Maslennikov cited the Northern Viking exercises among such maneuvers.