"The demonstration of their capability during crisis such as long-range strategic aircraft flights, their violation of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), etc., really shows where we are as a world, including the United States, and where Russia is trying to ascribe to be in terms of coercion including using weapons of mass destruction," Haney stated.
Russia has upped the number of long-range strategic aircraft flights penetrating United States and ally air defense identification zones, he added.
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the country's Northern Fleet to hold snap combat readiness drills. Some 76,000 troops are taking part in the exercise, held in the Norwegian and Barents Seas. The exercises, scheduled to end on Saturday, aim to check the troops' ability to protect Russia's Arctic borders. Military exercises have also been carried out in the Black Sea and the Far East.
Putin said earlier that Russian military drills have been conducted in international zones only, with strategic aircraft flight being resumed as an answer to US actions near Russian borders. Russia’s plans came as NATO has stepped up its activities near the Russian border, including in the Black Sea and Baltic waters.
