Grushko spoke with Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti after the NATO military alliance said it would begin an operation dubbed "Steadfast Defender 2024," which will involve around 90,000 troops.

"An exercise of this scale…marks the final and irrevocable return of NATO to the Cold War schemes, when the military planning process, resources and infrastructure are being prepared for confrontation with Russia," Grushko said.

"But the interests of European security today are of little concern to those who lead NATO; the main thing for them is to keep this instrument of American influence afloat in the already lost struggle to preserve Western hegemony in the world," he added.

Cavoli said on January 18 that the NATO operation would involve "approximately 90,000 forces from all 31 Allies and our good partner Sweden" and that it would begin this week and run through May.

"Steadfast Defender 2024 will be a clear demonstration of our unity, strength, and determination to protect each other, our values and the rules based international order," Cavoli added.

"The goal is clear: by demonizing Russia, intimidating the average person, to justify the unbridled increase in military spending…and at the same time force the Europeans to join the arms race even more energetically to the delight of the American military-industrial complex," Grushko told RIA Novosti.

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