Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said certain “hotheads” in Europe are methodically leading the continent toward a potential conflict. “Ordinary Europeans are being frightened with apocalyptic scenarios and ‘hybrid’ threats allegedly coming from our country,” she told RIA Novosti.


Zakharova said Russia does not threaten European states and has no intention of doing so, recalling President Vladimir Putin’s statements. The remarks came amid tensions over Kaliningrad, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying on September 30 that Russian diplomats were reminding European counterparts of nuclear deterrence principles.