MOSCOW

Western countries are trying to use "the Russian threat" to distract their people from internal problems, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday.

Speaking to broadcaster Rossiya, Peskov branded German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius' call to prepare for a war with Russia "an old horror story about a Russian bear."

"This call is easy to understand. The economic problems are clear. The competitiveness of the famous German industry is falling, expenses are growing, the load of social obligations is rising. German farmers take to the streets ... meaning they reached the end of their patience.

"What’s the best distraction in such a situation? The old horror story about the Russian bear. Especially taking into account that he’s already awake," he said.

On Jan. 19, speaking to Der Tagesspiegel daily, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Russia is capable of "attacking a NATO country one day."

Russia, for its part, said for years NATO has been coming closer and closer to its borders, contrary to promises to late Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev not to expand the alliance and without an obvious reason.