The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.| Photo: EFE/EPA/ALEXEI NIKOLSKY/SPUTNIK/KREMLIN
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced this Sunday (17) the creation of a new military base in the northwest of the country in response to Finland's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in April this year.
According to the Russian leader, the measure aims to “ensure Russia’s security in the face of the expansion of the military alliance led by the United States.”
Putin claimed that there were “no problems” before Finland joined NATO and that “all territorial disputes” between the two countries were “settled a long time ago.”
“There [na fronteira da Rússia com a Finlândia] “There were no problems and there will be no problems now, because we will create the Leningrad Military District and concentrate a certain number of military units there,” Putin said.
Finland, which shares a long border with Russia, decided to join NATO when Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022. The new Leningrad Military District will include the Northern Fleet, which operates in the Arctic.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the decision was a “response measure” to Finland and Sweden joining the Western military organization.
Putin also stated this Sunday that he had “no interest in going to war with NATO countries” and that US President Joe Biden’s statements about the Russian threat were merely “rhetoric” to pursue a “wrong policy towards Russia”.
In recent months, tensions on the border between Finland and Russia have increased due to the growing flow of migrants. This week Finland closed its border with the Russians again over the issue. The country is also expected to sign this Monday (18) a new defense pact with the United States that will facilitate the entry of American troops into the country in the event of a conflict, a measure that Moscow considers a “threat”.
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