Deputy chairman of Russia’s security council former president from 2008 to 2012, Dmitry Medvedev, has warned that Russia would deploy nuclear weapons close to the Baltic States and Scandinavia if Finland or Sweden decide to join NATO.
Medvedev made this known on Telegram saying that if the countries joined, this would more than double Russia’s land border with NATO members.
“Naturally, we will have to reinforce these borders,” he said.
“In this case, it would not be possible to talk any more about the Baltic non-nuclear status. The balance has to be restored,”
He said Russia would “seriously reinforce its group of ground forces and air defences and deploy significant naval forces in the Gulf of Finland.”
Comments by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, says that President Vladimir Putin has issued an order on “reinforcing our western flank” due to NATO’s growing military potential.
When questioned if reinforcement would be part of the nuclear weapons , Peskov said: “I can’t say… There will be a whole list of measures, necessary steps. This will be covered at a separate meeting by the president.”
Recall that Finland and Sweden had hinted about joining NATO.
AFP
