MOSCOW, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Russia has to respond to the military buildup of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Europe near its borders, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.

"We are forced to respond adequately, combining strategic deterrence measures with a planned increase in the combat capabilities of the formations and military units," Shoigu said at a meeting of defense officials.

He said competition between world centers of power has led to increased uncertainty, instability and violence in different regions, including in "areas of Russia's traditional interests."

According to Shoigu, the United States is seeking to retain the position of the superpower, manipulate international law and change the existing conventional arms control regimes in Europe in its favor.

He said NATO is developing its forward-based system in areas close to the Russian borders, namely in the Baltic states, Eastern and Southern Europe.

Within this process, more than 200 crews from 13 countries of the alliance have acquired the skills of flying over the territory of the Baltic countries and the Baltic Sea, Shoigu said.

Of late, the scale and intensity of NATO's military exercises has more than doubled with the participation of Ukraine and Georgia, which are not members of the bloc, he said, adding that such actions will destroy the security system in the world. Enditem

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