US vs. Russia Relations: New Defense Spending Act 'Threat,' Russian Foreign Ministry Says

Serving as the latest figurative jab in the two countries’ ongoing publicity war, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson called the United States' newest defense spending authorization a “hostile” act Tuesday, Politico reported.

President Barack Obama, following Congress’ passage of the $618.7 billion National Defense Authorization Act earlier this month, signed the spending bill into law Friday and Russian spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the intended funding for Syrian anti-government rebels, who she called “bloody thugs,” was a “direct threat” to Russian aircraft, soldiers and its embassy in Syria.

Zakharova also addressed the timing of the bill, as Obama transitions out and President-elect Donald Trump in, could create further issues for the oft-at-odds nations.

“The passing of this law in the last days of team Obama is an indication the administration is planting a landmine for the future administration of Donald Trump, in an attempt to complicate affairs in the international arena,” Zakharova said.

The Syrian rebels would have access to a number of weapons, including Man-Portable Air Defense Systems, or shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles, that could be used against Russian airstrikes that have helped to decimate Syria and in particular the city of Aleppo.

The bill allotted $67 billion for a war fund called the overseas contingency operations account (OCO), but Obama also took umbrage with Congress for the version of the bill it passed and said in a statement that he had hoped “wasteful” spending wouldn’t make the final version.

“Congress again failed to enact meaningful reforms to divest unneeded force structure, reduce wasteful overhead and modernize military healthcare,” he said. “Instead, the Congress redirects funding needed to support the warfighter to fund additional end-strength that our military leaders have not requested at a time when our troops are engaged overseas supporting the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and against al-Qaida."