MOSCOW. Feb 15 (Interfax) - Russia has an unquestionable right to hold exercises on its territory, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"Russia has held and will continue to hold exercises across its national territory. Same as it is in any other country, this is a continuous process. Our right to hold exercises on our own territory, wherever we see fit, is not to be discussed with anyone," Peskov told reporters on Tuesday.
Peskov was asked whether the beginning of the return to base of troops that had taken part in an exercise in southern Russia could mean a de-escalation of the conflict.
"We have always said that once the exercise is over, the stages of the exercise that were supposed to end at a certain point are over, and the troops will go back to base. This is what's happening. There is nothing new about it. It's a regular process," Peskov said.
Peskov invited journalists to ask for comment on "the other horror stories" their authors "from overseas who are chanting about the coming war as a mantra."