On May 20, Russian Defense Minister Shoigu said that Finland and Sweden's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has led to an increase in the military threat on the Russian border, and Moscow is responding with "appropriate countermeasures", including the formation of 12 brand new military units in the Western Military District.
Just 2 days ago, Finland and Sweden formally applied to join NATO, when Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zakharova gave the two countries a "preventive shot", saying that the Russian response would be led by the military and would be a "surprise".
Screenshot of the Interfax report
According to the comprehensive Russian Interfax News Agency and TASS News Agency, Shoigu said at a recent meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry group that the strategic characteristics of the West are to continuously increase the military threat around Russia, and Finland and Sweden, as Russia's close neighbors, have applied to join NATO on Wednesday, resulting in further intensification of tensions facing Russia's western military regions.
As a result of these additional threats, Russia is taking appropriate countermeasures, including the formation of 12 new military units and subordinate institutions in the Western Military District by the end of the year, which will also provide modern equipment support to the troops, "We intend to receive more than 2,000 pieces of advanced weapons and equipment this year."
Shoigu also noted that according to the results of winter training, the training level of military formations in the region has increased by 25% compared with the previous year. Among them, the combat training intensity carried out by the Baltic Fleet increased by 42%, and more than 300 exercises of various types of equipment were completed.
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Recently, Finland and Sweden decided to renounce their neutrality to join NATO as Russia launched a special military operation against Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg and U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Smith welcomed this, and U.S. President Joe Biden declared his support for "NATO's policy of opening the door and supporting the right of Finland and Sweden to determine their own future, foreign policy and security arrangements." ”
In this regard, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Finland's accession to NATO would be a direct violation of its obligations under international law, first of all, the Paris Peace Treaty of 1947, which stipulates that neither party can form an alliance or participate in an alliance against the other; in addition, the 1992 Treaty on the Basis of Relations between Russia and Finland, which stipulates that the two sides cannot threaten or use force against each other's territorial integrity or political independence. Russian Foreign Minister Alexander Glushko also warned that sweden and Finland will "actually abandon the state of non-nuclear weapons" after joining NATO, and if NATO pushes nuclear forces and infrastructure to the Russian border, Russia will take adequate precautions.
Previously, the outside world was worried that Russia would deploy the "Iskander" ballistic missile in Kaliningrad
It should be noted that after Sweden and Finland submit their application letters to NATO, NATO will convene a meeting of NATO member states and may decide to start the membership process for both countries. If all goes according to plan, the application agreement can be signed within about two weeks, after which the two countries will have the right to participate in all NATO meetings as "invited countries," but without the right to vote. In addition, NATO's absorption of new members follows the principle of "unanimous adoption", and any member state has the right of "one veto". However, in addition to Turkey, NATO member Croatia is also offering a price tag to ask NATO to help solve the problem of discrimination against the right to vote for Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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