NATO is increasing its reconnaissance activities near Russia's frontiers, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said Wednesday. This reported by Sputnik.

"Under the pretext of a mythical Russian threat, NATO is increasing its presence in Eastern Europe, militarising the Black Sea region, and stepping up reconnaissance activities along Russia's borders", the diplomat said at a scientific conference in Moscow.

He added that NATO's policies have negatively affected stability in the whole Euro-Atlantic region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin previously stated that Moscow considers NATO's policy of enlargement in Europe a relic of the Cold War, an erroneous and destructive military and political strategy.

According to the official newspaper of the Russian Armed Forces Krasnaya Zvezda, at least 21 foreign reconnaissance aircraft were detected by Russia close to its air space during only one week in March.