Russia says 'bandit' intentions behind confiscation of financial assets

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The Kremlin on Friday said "bandit" intentions are behind the idea of expropriation of Russian state assets worth billions of dollars, which are frozen in Western countries.

Commenting on the necessity to return Russia its money after the war in Ukraine, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a press briefing in Moscow: "We are convinced that any attempt to legitimize the withholding of assets is doomed to failure."

Approximately $300 billion in Russian central bank assets were frozen by Western governments after the start of Russia’s “special military operation” last year.

The spokesman said he is aware of the recent developments related to leaked Pentagon documents on Ukraine, but it is up to the US intelligence to give assessments to what happened.

"Our concern is to analyze this data, continue questioning their reliability, but study them carefully," he added.

The official said the unexpected combat readiness check of Russia's Pacific Fleet had no connection with NATO's "expansionist plans" in the region.

"This is the usual routine training of the army, the development of our armed forces and checking their combat readiness. In recent years, it has been constantly carried out, and it continues to maintain the necessary level of combat readiness of our armed forces," he said.

President Vladimir Putin does not plan to take part in exercises of the Pacific Fleet, Peskov said.

Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu announced on Friday an unexpected combat readiness check of the Russian Pacific Fleet with the participation of Aerospace Forces.

Shoygu said the war games were meant to repel aggression of a potential enemy, adding that the maneuvers envisage a response to prevent an adversary from entering the southern part of the Sea of Okhotsk and repel a landing on the Sakhalin island and the disputed southern Kuril Islands.