MOSCOW - Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov on Sunday criticized NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's recent remarks urging alliance members to prepare for a large-scale conflict with Russia as "irresponsible".

In a speech on Dec 11, Rutte warned member countries to prepare for a possible war on a scale similar to that "our grandparents or great-grandparents endured", adding that NATO could become "Russia's next target".

The NATO chief "simply does not understand what he is talking about", and his remarks appeared to be made by "a person from the generation that has forgotten what World War II was like", Peskov said.

The Kremlin spokesman emphasized that Russians remember the horrors of war and cherish the legacy of their forefathers and the sacrifices made to save Europe from fascism.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently declared that Russia is prepared to "document in any form" its commitment not to attack Europe.