MOSCOW – Russia will increase combat capabilities in response to the U.S.intention to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF)treaty, Russian defense minister said on Tuesday.

On Oct. 21, U.S. President Donald Trump had announced his intention towithdraw from the treaty.

Speaking to Russian military and intelligence leaders in Moscow, SergeyShoygu said the country will conduct 4,000 military exercises of differentscales, as well as 8,500 combat exercises in 2019.

“Center” military drill in September 2019 will be the final event of thewar-games, Shoygu said.

Earlier, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. spent $716 billionfor the military purposes in 2018.