A spokesman for Russia's Defense Ministry has suggested that Jen Psaki, the spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department, should consult a map before making any statements, Interfax reported Tuesday.
"The Russian Defense Ministry has read with fascination the recent statements of the state department's spokesperson on the ongoing air force exercises in the Astrakhan region, and expresses its concern about Jen Psaki's lack of elementary knowledge of geography," an unidentified ministry representative told Interfax.
Psaki said at a daily news briefing in Washington on Monday that the State Department was "deeply concerned by Russia's plan to conduct a large military aviation exercise this week in areas bordering Ukraine. Exercises of this kind are provocative and only serve to escalate tensions."
Russia launched aviation drills Monday in the Ashuluk firing range in the Astrakhan region, which is about 1,000 kilometers from the Russia-Ukraine border, according to the Defense Ministry. More than 100 fighter jets, bombers and helicopters will take part in the drills.
Psaki has become a target for Russian media outlets over some of the statements she has made on the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine.
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