The increased intensity and scale of US-led NATO military exercises in the Baltics and Black Sea suggest the alliance is preparing for a major military conflict, said General Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff.

NATO’s ramping up of large-scale war games in the Baltics, Poland and the Black Sea region show that it is gearing up for a major confrontation, Gerasimov said on Thursday, briefing foreign military attaches in Moscow.

“The scenario [of the drills] point that NATO is purposefully training its troops to be engaged in a major military conflict.”

Gerasimov pointed out that in addition to flexing its military muscles around Russian borders, the US continues to deploy its anti-ballistic missile systems to Europe, which Moscow considers to be an acute threat to its national security.

Furthermore, there is an ongoing smear campaign about a “Russian military threat” aimed at vilifying Moscow, the general said. Any military build-up attempted by Russia, transparent and defensive in nature, is being spun by Western media outlets and governments as a “threat to peace,” he added.

Russia has not been sitting idly in the face of the US and NATO military build-up and has been developing new cutting-edge weapons that are able to bypass any existing air defenses. One of them is Kinzhal, an air-launched hypersonic missile. Gerasimov confirmed on Tuesday that the missile had successfully completed a series of tests, including in the Arctic.

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When asked if he believes a major war could break out by 2050, Gerasimov said that there are no immediate “prerequisites” for a full-blown war, although the situation is “unstable” due to political, economic and information pressure placed on independent actors such as Russia.

However, he noted that given the current uncertainty in the world, that can change overnight.

"In such conditions, we can't rule out that crises could emerge that may get out of control and develop into a large-scale military conflict.”

Taking that into account, it’s essential to calm tensions building up between the West and Russia so the animosity does not lead to dangerous military incidents, Gerasimov said, describing it as “the most important area in the dialogue between Russia and the US and NATO.”

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