Russia feels threatened by the ongoing NATO Summit 2023. On Tuesday, July 11, the Kremlin government claimed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization sees Russia as an enemy. 

Because of this, the Russian government decided to watch the alliance closely, saying that it is prepared to take unspecified measures to protect its country. 

Russia Feels Threatened by NATO Summit 2023

(Photo: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (C) poses for an official family photo with the participants of the NATO Summit in Vilnius on July 11, 2023.

According to NDTV's latest report, Moscow said that it is carefully monitoring the NATO conference in Vilnius, Lithuania. 

The Russian government decided to do this since it believes that the NATO Summit has an anti-Russian character, which can lead to the alliance considering making Ukraine one of its members. 

"It is, without doubt, an alliance summit with a strong anti-Russian character," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

He added that NATO sees Russia as "an enemy, an adversary." 

"We are monitoring this very carefully because much of what has been said will be subject to in-depth analysis in order to take measures to ensure our own security," added Russia's spokesman via Reuters.  

Read Also: Joe Biden's Meeting With King Charles III Included Discussions About Climate Change, China

Russia Attacks Ukraine Hours Before NATO Summit 2023 

(Photo : MARKKU ULANDER/Lehtikuva/AFP via Getty Images) Participants wave the NATO flag at Senate Square in Helsinki, Finland, on April 4, 2023, after the country became the 31st member of NATO. - Finland's blue-and-white Nordic cross flag was hoisted outside NATO headquarters on April 4 as it became the 31st member of the alliance, in the first step of a historic realignment of Europe's defenses sparked by Russia's war on Ukraine.

Russia is clearly against the NATO Summit 2023 since the government thinks that the conference could discuss the chance of Ukraine becoming a member of the alliance.

Hours before the NATO meeting in Lithuania, Russia decided to attack Ukraine's capital Kyiv, as well as the southern port of Odesa. 

The Russian military used drones as part of its violent attack. Kyiv's military administration head Serhiy Popko said that this is the second air attack on Moscow in Ukraine's capital. 

Ukraine's air force announced that they were able to take down 26 of the 28 Iranian-made kamikaze Shahed drones that the Russian military sent overnight. 

As of writing, Ukraine hasn't confirmed the total casualties caused by the Russian air attack. However, the Ukrainian military confirmed that falling debris damaged some houses in the region. 

Meanwhile, the Russian military denied attacking civilians in Kyiv. 

If ever NATO members showed any intent to welcome Ukraine as part of its alliance, there's a chance that Russia will conduct more attacks.

NATO still has until July 12 to make its final decision about Ukraine's place in the alliance.

Related Article: Turkey Finally Supports Sweden's NATO Membership, Ending Year-Long Stalemate