ARKHANGELSK, August 13. /TASS/. Russia possesses all means to ensure its security and international stability in the Arctic, including the expansion of military capabilities, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said.

"We observe the attempts by NATO countries to turn the North, the Arctic into a region of military rivalry. Russia possesses all necessary means to ensure not only national security in this vast region spanning over 10,000 kilometers, but also international stability," he said at a forum.

"We have the resources for this and the determination to move along the path of increasing our military capabilities, and we will do so," Grushko stressed.

In the context of current challenges he also noted that although the Baltic region was recently the most peaceful in Europe, "today it is the region in Europe most fraught with the risk of serious conflict."

"We see NATO and EU countries artificially stoking tensions, with the threat of incidents, including unintended ones, growing. This is the reality we have to deal with, and, unfortunately, the one that we must take into account in our military planning, and we are doing so," the official added.

"When it comes to our resources, the issue of security looms large," Grushko concluded.