Russia will prepare to boost combat readiness if Montenegro joins NATO

Sputnik
Wed, 02 Dec 2015 12:45 UTC

© Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation

Russia will take further steps in boosting its military capabilities and combat readiness if Montenegro joins NATO, Russia's deputy chairman for the Federation Council's Committee on Defense and Security said Wednesday.

"Russia will take further measures in strengthening its military capabilities and combat readiness of our country and concrete measures are being prepared by the General Staff," Russian senator Evgeny Serebrennikov said.

"The continued eastward expansion of NATO and NATO's military infrastructure cannot but result in retaliatory actions from the east, i.e. from the Russian side, in terms of ensuring security and supporting the parity of interests," Mr. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Montenegro was invited to join NATO and now the 28 members of the alliance will need to ratify the invitation in their parliaments, which could take more than a year.

Comment: This tiny nation sure is garnering a lot of attention with this NATO eastern expansion into the Balkans. Besides Montenegro and Georgia, the other current candidates for NATO membership are Bosnia, Herzegovina and Macedonia.