Russia is forced to respond to the aggressive nature of NATO's actions by developing systems like "Burevestnik". This was stated by the spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova to TASS, Focus reports.
"As for systems such as "Burevestnik", as the Russian leadership has repeatedly stated, their development is necessary and is being carried out in order to maintain strategic balance", she said.
A few days ago, Russia announced that it had successfully tested the long-range nuclear intercontinental cruise missile and nuclear power plant "Burevestnik".
Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the "Poseidon" underwater vehicle with a nuclear power plant had also been successfully tested. Today, the press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov stated:
"Until now, we did not know that anyone was engaged in [nuclear tests]... If we are talking about the tests of the "Burevestnik", then this is by no means a nuclear test".
The Russian Foreign Ministry also announced that any dialogue with Japan on the conclusion of a peace treaty can only begin after Tokyo abandons what Moscow calls "anti-Russian" course, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that it was Japan's current policy that had brought bilateral relations between the two countries to a dead end.
Russia, which is the successor state of the former Soviet Union, and Japan have never signed a peace treaty to formally end hostilities between them since World War II, Reuters notes.