Finland’s NATO membership poses risks, Russia says

The Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoiguaffirmed today that the entry of Finland in the NATO as the thirty-first member and increased activities of the Atlantic Alliance near the borders of Russia and belaruscreate risks of a significant expansion of the conflict in Ukraine.

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“The NATO is carrying out a set of measures to increase the combat readiness of the Joint Armed Forcesintensifying combat training and reconnaissance activities near the borders of Russia and belarus”Shoigu told the leadership of the Russian Armed Forces.

He argued that the Atlantic Alliance is reinforcing its course”anti russian”, which “leads to an escalation of the conflict”, by increasing USA military aid to Ukraine with tanks and modern armored vehicles, as well as long-range weapons that, he said, “have a range of up to 150 kilometers.”

USA it has repeatedly said that it will not provide missiles with a range greater than 80 kilometers.

shoigu also said that West discusses the possibility of supplying kyiv tactical missiles ATACMS with a range of up to 300 kilometers and F-16 fighters.

To all this is added, that “Finland will shortly (this Tuesday) become a member of the alliance”said.

“Of course, all this creates risks of a significant expansion of the conflict, but it will not affect the outcome of the special operation.”he added in reference to the Russian military campaign in Ukraine.

Shoigu stressed that for all this Russia and belarus take measures, so that part of the planes of belarusian combat can now hit enemy targets “with nuclear weapons.”

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The Defense Minister recalled that Russia sent to the neighboring country the tactical and operational missile system Iskander-Mcapable of using nuclear weapons.

As the Belarusian Ministry of Defense had done hours before in a statement, the Army General confirmed that Belarusian soldiers have already begun training in the handling of the system in Russia, in a course that will include the study of the maintenance and use of nuclear weapons. tactics of Iskander-M OTRK.

Last February, the Belarusian Ministry of Defense stated that it had begun to operate the missile system independently. iskander Russian.

Two weeks ago the Russian president, Vladimir Putinannounced an agreement with his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenkofor the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in belarussomething that has been highly criticized by the West.

The boss of the kremlin assured that this is nothing extraordinary, because USA has been doing it for decades in countries of the NATO.

The Russian president stressed that the agreement with belarus does not violate Russia’s obligations on nuclear non-proliferation and announced that on April 3 the training of the Belarusian military will begin and on July 1 the construction of a silo to place said weapons in the country will have been completed.

The last friday, lukashenko He also did not rule out asking Russia for strategic nuclear weapons in case there is a need.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.