If NATO deploys offensive arms, Moscow will strengthen its troops
Russia is planning on strengthening its military presence on the border with Finland if NATO deploys striking weapons on its territory.
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The chair of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Viktor Bondarev
The chair of the Russian Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security, Viktor Bondarev, said Sunday that in the event that Finland joins NATO and the alliance deploys striking weapons on its territory, then Moscow will strengthen its military presence on the border with Finland.
"We will strengthen the border, increase the presence of the Russian troops on the border if offensive, striking weapons of NATO are deployed in Finland, in our immediate vicinity," Bondarev said on Telegram.
Earlier on Sunday, Helsinki announced its official decision to join NATO. This decision will be discussed in the Finnish parliament on Monday and the vote on it will take place on Tuesday.
Sweden also followed suit and is expected to apply for NATO membership with Finland.
On Sunday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance wants to accelerate the joining of Finland and Sweden into NATO "as much as possible."
"We are also aware that Finland and Sweden are of course concerned about the interim period from when they have applied to all the national parliaments have to ratify the accession protocol. We would like to speed up this process as much as possible," Stoltenberg told a press conference.
