Russia: Japanese and US joint exercises are a threat to our security 

Baghdad-INA 

The Russian Foreign Ministry considered on Friday, the Japanese joint exercises and the United States near the borders of Russia , a threat to the security of the country. 

The ministry said in a statement after summoning the representative of the Japanese embassy in Moscow that Moscow considers the joint Japanese and US exercises near Russia's borders a threat to the country's security in the Far East and a potential challenge. 

Russian MOFA continued, "In addition, concerns were expressed to the Japanese diplomat over the Japanese-US naval exercises, which began on December 6 this year in the Hokkaido island area. It was emphasized, that the (exercises) were conducted in the immediate vicinity. 

Russia's borders, and the scope and spectrum of the operations being carried out, oblige us to regard these maneuvers as a serious challenge and a potential threat to the security of our country in the Far East." 

Earlier, a representative of the Japanese Embassy in Moscow was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to lodge a protest.