Russia Sends Troops To Finland Border

Putin says Finland and Sweden’s entry into NATO is a “meaningless step” and Russia will deploy troops and “systems of destruction” to the Finland border, according to state media.

Signs of tension with Russia are rising in the Nordic region following Sweden and Norway’s accession to NATO.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on Wednesday warned that Moscow is gearing up for a “long conflict with the West” and Denmark revealed plans to boost defence spending, as Russia continued to condemn the expansion of the Western military alliance in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

News|Russia-Ukraine warNordic tensions on the rise amid Russian anger over NATO accessionsFinland PM urges EU to step up defence spending and coordination, as tensions rise with Russia following NATO accession.

“Russia is evidently preparing for a long conflict with the West and represents a permanent and essential military threat to Europe,” the Finnish leader declared.

“If we, as a united Europe, fail to respond sufficiently to this challenge, the coming years will be filled with danger and the looming threat of attack,” he said, before adding: “Russia is not invincible.”Orpo, whose country neighbours Russia, urged the 27-country European Union to step up defence spending and said the bloc had to take care of its own defence, insisting that its security cannot hinge on the outcome of the election in the United States.Republican contender Donald Trump suggested last month that NATO guarantees could be weakened should he win back the White House in November’s vote.