Why Russia will send troops and heavy weapons to the border with Finland, a country that joined NATO

In December last year, the president of Russia, Vladimir Putinwarned that there will be “problems” with the neighbor Finland after entering the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in early 2023. Three months later, the Russian president announced this Wednesday that his country will send troops and heavy weapons to the border with Finland. What is behind the decision of one of the most powerful men in the world, whose nation is currently facing war in Ukraine?

“Yes we didn’t even have troops, we had removed them all from there, from the Russian-Finnish border. Why did they do this? (…) That’s what they decided. But we didn’t have troops there and now we will. There were no offensive systems there and now they will appear,” he said on Wednesday put on during an interview with Russian television Channel One and the official RIA Nóvosti agency, commenting on the entry of Finland at the NATO.

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In addition to Finlandlast week Sweden has officially joined NATO, becoming the second new member since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Both countries openly support Kiev.

In the interview, put on described the decision of both Nordic countries to enter the NATO as a “meaningless step” when it comes to guaranteeing its national interests, although being part of the Atlantic Alliance means being protected by a nuclear umbrella, reported the EFE agency.

In this group photo distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin gives an interview to television presenter and general director of the Rossiya Segodnya (RIA Novosti) news agency Dmitry Kiselyov. (Photo: Gavriil GRIGOROV AFP). (GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/)

put on recalled that relations between Russia and Finland In the past they were “ideal”, since there was no dispute between them, including territorial disputes.

“AND I think they benefited more from being neutral.as it is something that provides them with certain advantages, at least as a negotiation platform to reduce tensions in Europe itself”, he stated.

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put on He also assured that Russia It is prepared if the West decides to trigger a nuclear war, although it considers that option to be unlikely at the moment.

“They develop all of its components. So do we. But this does not mean that, from my point of view, they are prepared to launch a nuclear war tomorrow. But if they want, what can they do? “We are ready,” he said.

The flags of Finland and NATO fly in the courtyard of the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, April 4, 2023. (Photo by Antti Hml inen/Lehtikuva/AFP). (ANTTI HAMALAINEN/)

In December last year put on had warned that there would be problems with Finland after the West “dragged him into NATO”.

“There were no problems. Now there will be. We will create the military district of Leningrad and we will concentrate certain military units there. What did they need it for? “It’s just absurd,” he said. put on last December, in an interview with Russian state broadcaster Russia 1.

When Finland He became the 31st member of NATO Upon entry in April 2023, The Atlantic Alliance’s direct border with Russia has been increased by 1,300 kilometers.

NATO countries. (AFP).

Before Russian troops invaded UkrainePutin demanded the NATO this would limit its expansion.

But the war “altered the security environment of the Finland”, driving the Nordic nation’s desire to join the alliance, as stated by the president Sauli Niinistö in May 2022 by announcing that his country would request membership, in addition to abandoning its doctrine of neutrality.

A few months after his request, the government of Finland I declare this would spend US$143 million to build fences along the 1,336 km eastern border between the country and Russiawhich used to have few security protections.

This week, the Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri OrpoI assert that “Evidently” Russia is preparing for a “long conflict with the West”and warned that if Europe does not respond “sufficiently” to the challenge posed by Moscow, the coming years will be “full of dangers and the imminent threat of an attack”, according to EFE.

“Russia continues to commit war crimes in Ukraine. Moved to a war economy. Russia is evidently preparing for a long conflict with West and represents a permanent and existential military threat to Europe”, declared the Finnish politician in the European Parliament.

“We must reinforce our support for Ukraine now win this war and at the same time improve our own defense capabilities and the ability to defend ourselves!”, he stated.

“Supporting Ukraine is not only a moral imperative, but also a strategic necessity. The cost of Russian military success would far exceed the investment needed to support Ukraine. Imagine what will happen next if Russia succeeds,” she warned.

He emphasized that Finland increased its ammunition productionand urged all European Union member states to “do the same”, in a context marked by Kiev’s needs to confront the Russian invasion, after the United States Congress blocked aid worth more than 60 billion dollars.

Finnish soldiers from the Finnish-Swedish Division fly the Leopard 2A6, a third-generation German main battle tank, during military exercises. (JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP). (JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/)

As CNN recalls, before the accession of Finland at the Atlantic Alliancethe last country to join the NATO it was the little one North Macedoniain March 2020. Although the last entry of former communist countries was in 2004, when they did Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In the case of these last three Baltic States, it was the last time that a country bordering Russiaas Finland Now, he has entered the alliance.

¿Why Finland joined NATO, risking a conflict with Russia? Seeking security after a history of tensions and distrust with Moscow marked by wars.

Finland It came under the control of the Russian Empire in 1809 and achieved its independence in 1917, in the context of the Russian Revolution, which led to the fall of Tsar Nicholas II and the rise of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)explains CNN.

Finnish soldiers search for mines on November 6, 1944. (AFP PHOTO/LEHTIKUVA).

Then, Finland was invaded by USSR in 1939, after a border conflict in the region of Karelia. The call Winter Warcharacterized by strong Finnish resistance, ended in 1940 with a Soviet victory.

But in 1941, Finland It joined forces with the Axis forces, led by Nazi Germany, to invade the USSR and try to recover its territories.

In 1944, Finland signed a peace agreement with the USSR and went to war with Germany.

The country then remained neutral during the Cold War.

One of Finland’s many bunkers. (EFE).

Behind Second World Warfor decades Finland prepared for a new war with the Russians.

The European country that currently has more than 5.5 million inhabitants built a series of underground shelters to protect against an invasion.

According to BBCMundo, At the beginning of 2020, Finland had 54,000 civil defense shelters with a capacity for a total of 4.4 million people.. Most are in large cities and are private reinforced concrete shelters in individual buildings. Properties made up of several buildings have joint bunkers.

The extensive network began to be built in the 1980s, in the midst of Cold War“with the threat of nuclear war” hanging over the heads of many, Anu Lahtinen, an expert in Nordic and Finnish history at the University of Helsinki, told BBC Mundo.

“Only in Helsinki we have close by 5,500 underground shelters. They almost fit one million people and resist all types of attacks from the most modern weapons, even nuclear weapons”, Tomi Rask, member of civil defense in Helsinkiwhich has 600 thousand inhabitants.

Finnish soldiers during exercise Arrow 22 in the Niinisalo garrison in Kankaanp. (Photo by Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva/AFP). (HEIKKI SAUKKOMAA/)

BBC Mundo explains that for decades, Finland has strengthened one of the most rigorous military recruitment systems in the worldrecruited extensive reserves of oil, food and medicine and raised widespread awareness of the need to be prepared for the “worst-case scenario”.

He adds that in refuges Located tens of meters deep, you can also find swimming pools, Olympic tracks, museums, playgrounds and restaurants.

“Our shelters are dual-use. We use them to protect ourselves and store goods. In times of war, we can provide filtered oxygen, food and water“Rask maintained.

And if the threat extends into more weeks and months, Shelters also have an internal system to maintain this flow of goods and medicines.observes BBC Mundo.

According to Finnish planning laws, new buildings, apartment blocks and offices exceeding 1,200 square meters must serve as civil defense shelters, explains EFE.

As a result, around 85% of the country’s hostels are private properties that, in times of peace, are converted into parking spaces, storage rooms or leisure centers.

In Finland Military service is mandatory. According to the Constitution, every Finn is forced to participate in national defense. Every man between the ages of 18 and 60 is eligible for military service and women can apply voluntarily.

Source: Elcomercio