Russia not to start arms race: Kremlin

Russia is not going to begin any arms race despite what it says NATO's attempts to change the global strategic balance of power, the Kremlin said Wednesday.

"Actions are taken to change the strategic balance of power ... It is not Russia that approaches somebody else's borders, but NATO that is deploying its military infrastructure near Russian borders ...This cannot but cause concern in Russia," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by the Tass news agency as saying.

As NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday accused Moscow of "developing new nuclear capabilities and using nuclear rhetoric," Peskov responded that President Vladimir Putin just "rather reasonably" outlined Russia's position on strategic security.

Stoltenberg made those remarks after Putin announced that over 40 intercontinental ballistic missiles will enter into service in the Russian army this year.8 "The deterrent effect of nuclear weapons can hardly be disputed by anyone," Peskov said, stressing that Russia is forced to respond to NATO's military actions in order to protect its interests and security.

Also on Wednesday, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said that Russia would only react to possible external threats rather than start arms race with the West.

"Russia attempts to react to possible threats by certain means and there is nothing else," Ushakov said, adding that it is a kind of principle for Russia not to participate in any arms race, which would obviously weaken Russia's economy.

Moscow recently kept accusing the United States and its NATO allies for increasing military build-up near Russian borders, as media reports said that NATO plans to deploy heavy weapons in eastern Europe and the Baltic countries. Endi