 NATO, trying to intimidate Russia, Moscow's top spy. Western speculation about a potential Russian attack on NATO is aimed only at frightening Moscow and forcing it to abandon its goals in the Ukraine conflict. Sergei Naryshkin, the head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, has said. In an interview with Riya Novosti, Naryshkin described the warnings of numerous Western officials as part of an information war being waged against both Russia and the populations of their own countries. This type of warfare seeks to justify the West's existing aggression against Russia, he said. According to the Intel chief, by conducting hybrid actions, the West is trying to intimidate Moscow by raising the possibility of a full-scale direct conflict between Russia and NATO. The Westerners emphasise their belligerence, their mobilisation readiness, hoping to influence Russia so that it abandons its plans and goals of the special military operation he explained, adding that he considered the attempts futile. Naryshkin's remarks came after Admiral Rob Bauer, the chair of the NATO Military Committee, warned the US-led military bloc that it must brace for a major clash with Russia within the next 20 years, one which would require the mass mobilisation of civilians. While NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that the bloc sees no direct threat from Russia at the moment, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has warned that his country should be ready to repel a possible Russian offensive and urged NATO members to arm themselves for such an eventuality.