Russia issues new military threat to NATO and US over reports that US troops will deploy to Finland

• Russia warns NATO and the US about potential military measures if the alliance uses Finland’s territory to deploy troops.
• Finland recently became a member of NATO, increasing the alliance’s total amount of shared borders with Russia to 1,584 miles.
• Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova sees any plans regarding US troops in Finland as a loss of the country’s sovereignty and could contribute to growing military and political tensions in the region.

Russia has issued a warning to NATO and the US, stating that it may retaliate with military measures if the alliance uses Finland’s territory.

Finnish Foreign Affairs Ministry official Mikael Antell reported that discussions on a new defense cooperation agreement between Helsinki and Washington could lead to the construction of new military infrastructure on Finland’s soil.

The agreement, which will augment Finland’s recent NATO membership, could also result in American soldiers being deployed to bases near Russia’s border with Finland. Before Finland joined NATO, five NATO countries shared borders with Russia or the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, accounting for approximately 754 miles of shared borders with Russia.

However, with Finland’s admission, NATO officially increased its total amount of shared borders with Russia to 1,584 miles.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova responded to the report that the US military may place troops on Finnish bases, warning of the country’s loss of sovereignty.

Moscow views any plans regarding US troops in Finland as a threat to national security, and they will be forced to take retaliatory measures of both military-technical and other nature.

She further emphasized that pumping Northern Europe with troops will only contribute to growing military and political tensions in the region.

Finland’s admittance to the alliance was seen as a significant setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has previously expressed his objective to prevent NATO’s expansion on Russia’s borders.