Putin struggles to stay still as he warns Russia ‘will have to respond’ to NATO expansion

Putin warns Finland and Sweden on installing Nato infrastructure

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The Russian leader, speaking at a news conference today during a visit to Turkmenistan, accused Sweden and Finland of creating trouble where there had previously been “no territorial issues or disputes” by signing up to NATO membership. Unable to stand still, Putin threatened a “mirrored” reaction to the Nordic countries should they allow “military contingents and infrastructure” as part of NATO to be deployed there, suggesting the Russians could arm their northern border with Finland. Russian officials have previously hinted that they could instill nuclear-capable weapons in the Baltic Sea by way of response. 

Putin said: “We do not have such problems with Sweden and Finland that we have with Ukraine, fortunately. 

“We have no territorial issues or disputes. We have nothing to worry about in terms of Sweden and Finland’s membership in NATO. 

“They want it, after all. They only must clearly understand that there were no threats to them before. 

“Now, if military contingents and infrastructure are deployed there, we will have to respond in a mirrored manner.” 

NATO invited Sweden and Finland to join yesterday, pledging a seven-fold increase from 2023 in combat forces on high alert along its eastern flank.

US President Joe Biden announced more land, sea, and air force deployments across Europe from Spain in the west to Romania and Poland bordering Ukraine.

And UK defence secretary Ben Wallace revealed that Britain would be sending 1,000 extra troops to Estonia, where there are already 2,000 troops. 

Sergei Ryabkov, the deputy Russian foreign minister, subsequently echoed Putin’s threats, saying a Russian response to this expansion was “invariable”.

He said: “What is happening will invariably lead to compensatory measures on our part. We have the capabilities and resources. Security will be 100 percent guaranteed.”

Meanwhile, Russian forces pressed on with their offensive in Ukraine as the NATO summit in Madrid entered its third and final day. 

The leaders at the meeting earlier branded Moscow the biggest “direct threat” to Western security and agreed plans to modernise Kyiv’s beleaguered armed forces.

Ukrainian authorities said they were trying to evacuate residents from the frontline eastern city of Lysychansk, the focus of Russia’s attacks where about 15,000 people remained under relentless shelling.

Regional governor Serhiy Gaidai said: “Fighting is going on all the time. The Russians are constantly on the offensive. There is no let-up.”  

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Russian troops had attacked the Lysychansk oil refinery on Thursday morning, Mr Gaidai later wrote on Telegram.

The ambassador of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic told Russia’s RIA news agency the Lysychansk oil refinery was now fully controlled by Russian and pro-Russian forces, and all roads to Lysychansk were also under their control.

And the mayor of Mykolaiv city said a Russian missile had killed at least five people in a residential building there, while Moscow said its forces had hit what it called a training base for foreign mercenaries in the region.

Attacks on the northeastern city of Kharkiv continued as well, Ukraine’s military said, with shelling from tanks, mortars, and missiles.

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