New Nation Report :
Russia has threatened Sweden and Finland, two of Russia’s closest Arctic neighbors, with “military consequences” if they join NATO.
It happened as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine accelerated today, following a night of violence in Kyiv, the country’s capital.
In the Arctic Circle, Sweden and Finland are the two countries closest to Russia.
‘Finland and Sweden should not base their security on endangering the security of other countries,’ foreign affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a press conference. ‘Their accession to NATO can have negative consequences and face certain military and political consequences,’ she added.
The threat was afterwards re-iterated on Twitter by the foreign ministry.
The department added, “We see the Finnish government’s commitment to a military non-alignment strategy as a vital aspect in ensuring security and stability in northern Europe.” ‘Adherence to NATO by Finland would have major military and political consequences.’
Vladimir Putin is largely considered to have launched an attack on Ukraine after western countries discussed the possibility of the country joining NATO, fearing a US military presence on its doorstep.
A similar approach by Sweden or Finland might elicit comparable criticism.
The Ukrainian capital of Kyiv might fall by Saturday afternoon, according to US intelligence officials, with Russian forces entering the city in the early hours of Saturday morning local time.
