OREANDA-NEWS. Russia's military maneuvers are a signal to President Vladimir Putin that he has tools to use against the West if he "goes too far," writes The Washington Post.

According to columnist Paul Sonne, the Russian president wants to discourage NATO from even thinking that it can help Ukraine. The expert believes that large military exercises against the backdrop of tensions around the situation in Ukraine demonstrate Russia's desire to show its military potential.

Political analyst Samuel Charap expressed his conviction that Moscow has two goals. Firstly, to show their military superiority over the enemy, and, secondly, to keep NATO led by the United States.

In recent months, there have been statements in the West and Kiev in particular about Russia's allegedly impending "invasion" of Ukraine. In turn, the Kremlin has more than once directly denied any plans for an attack, and reports from Western media and officials about the preparation of an attack are called unfounded and untrue.

Earlier, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that only immoral madmen can talk about Moscow's alleged intention to attack Ukraine.