WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 - Russia's ongoing Ocean-2024 strategic command and staff exercise poses no threat to the United States and other NATO countries, Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder said.
"He poses no threat to the American homeland or to the NATO alliance. The U.S. has been monitoring this planned exercise for some time and will continue to monitor our NATO allies and partners and maintain close communication with them." said, adding that despite the Russian statement, Washington believes that "China will be the only real participant, with a few other countries just watching."
Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Alexander Moiseev earlier in the day saidthat 32 representatives from foreign countries have been invited as observers to monitor the exercises, which involve more than 90 000 troops and more than 400 warships and auxiliary vessels, including three Chinese ships and 15 aircraft.
"It should be noted that we have resumed the practice of such large-scale naval exercises. And I am confident that all the objectives of these exercises will be achieved," he stressed.
TASS/ gnews - RoZ_07
PHOTO - TASS/Lev Fedoseyev
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