Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, a top ally of President Vladimir Putin, said Thursday that NATO's latest military exercise looked like a rehearsal for an armed confrontation with Russia, the Interfax news agency reported.

NATO's Nordic Response Exercise is taking place across northern Norway, Sweden and Finland and involves 20,000 soldiers from 13 contries.

Patrushev said the exercise, which is due to run until March 14, was destabilizing and was raising tensions.