MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. NATO excludes Russia from probes into drone incidents, and the top two US negotiators seem more focused on Iran and domestic issues than on Ukraine. Meanwhile, Japan’s remilitarization drive raises concerns in Russia, China and North Korea. These stories topped Wednesday's newspaper headlines across Russia.
Izvestia: NATO squeezing Russia out of drone probes
The North Atlantic Alliance has not approached Russia with proposals to jointly investigate drone crashes, Vladislav Maslennikov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of European Affairs, told Izvestia. Nor does the bloc make use of emergency communication channels through the Russian embassy in Belgium, he added. Germany has accused Russia of involvement in the drone incident at Leipzig Airport. In May, Romania blamed Moscow for the shooting down of a drone in the city of Galati. Experts say that NATO allies refuse to conduct a joint investigation with Moscow because of the risks of uncovering a Ukrainian trace.
Natalya Yeryomina, a professor at St. Petersburg State University, told Izvestia in an interview that NATO’s refusal to conduct a joint investigation with Russia is linked to concerns about exposing Ukraine's role. Otherwise, it will become clear that the incidents are related to Kiev's actions, and the West does not want to make it responsible.
