BRUSSELS. June 16 (Interfax) - Surprise inspections of the combat readiness of the Russian armed forces are an absolutely legitimate type of military activity, is in line with all existing international obligations and are recognized by the Russian top brass as an effective method for maintaining the proper level of defense potential, Russian permanent envoy to NATO Alexander Grushko said.
"Despite the absence of relevant obligations under the Vienna document within the framework of the OSCE, Russia regularly informs interested countries via various channels, including the OSCE communication network, about the goals, scale and parameters of such trainings at their initial stage in the spirit of good will," the diplomat told Russian reporters in Brussels on Thursday.
He said briefings are organized for foreign military attaches in Moscow. Before the military contacts in the NATO-Russia Council were frozen, such information was provided in Brussels as well. Such trainings receive broad media coverage," he said.