Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev recently warned that Finland and Sweden are potential “targets” of the Russian military and could face “retaliatory” nuclear strikes in the event of a future war. The warning comes as the Russian military is expanding its military presence at bases along Finland’s border.
According to The New York Post, Russian state media reported that Medvedev suggested that both Finland and Sweden could potentially be in the “crosshairs” of the Russian military after joining NATO since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“They are part of a bloc hostile to us, which means they have automatically become targets for our armed forces, including potential retaliatory strikes and even a nuclear component, or preventive measures within the framework of military doctrine,” Medvedev said. “They have simply ended up in the crosshairs of our armed forces. Has life become better for them? No! These are political games.”
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian military have expanded military bases along the border of Finland. The outlet specifically noted that Russia expanded a base in Petrozavodsk, which is located just 100 miles from the border of Finland.
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According to The New York Post, military and intelligence officials have warned that the expansion of the Russian military bases along Finland’s border is part of Russia’s plan to establish a new army headquarters for tens of thousands of troops in the coming years in anticipation of a potential conflict with NATO nations.
Center for the Analysis of Strategies and Technologies Director Ruslan Pukhov told The Wall Street Journal, “When the troops are back [from Ukraine], they will be looking over the border at a country they consider an adversary.”
Pukhov added, “The logic of the last decade shows we’re expecting some conflict with NATO.”
The New York Post reported that Denmark’s top intelligence agency previously warned that Russia will be capable of launching a war against NATO nations in Europe within five years if it considers NATO to be too weak to defend itself.
