NATO drills show it is preparing for potential conflict with Russia, Moscow says

FILE PHOTO: German soldiers transport U.S. soldiers in an M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle as they cross Vistula River during NATO Dragon-24, part of the Steadfast Defender 2024 exercise, in Korzeniewo, Poland, March 4, 2024. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) - NATO's four-month long military exercises near Russia's borders, known as Steadfast Defender, are proof the alliance is preparing for a potential conflict with Russia, a spokeswoman for Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

The spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, dismissed accusations by NATO this week that Russia is engaged in hybrid attacks on its member states, saying this was misleading "misinformation" aimed at distracting people from the alliance's activities.