Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has signed a new version of its main military strategy document which named Nato expansion as one of the chief threats to the country’s security.

The document listed first among “chief outside military threats” the fact that military alliance is attempting to “globalise its functions in contravention of international law”.

It also cited attempts to bring “military infrastructure of Nato members closer to Russian borders, including by expanding the bloc”.

Russia has bristled at moves by former Soviet republics such as Georgia and Ukraine to join Nato and relations between Nato and Moscow plunged to a post-Cold War low after the August 2008 war between Russia and Georgia.

Other threats are named as creation and deployment of missile-defence systems.