Russia has started moving nuclear-capable missiles towards its border with Finland hours after Moscow vowed not to tolerate Helsinki’s plans to join Nato.
The Kremlin issued a chilling warning that plans for both Finland and Sweden to sign up to the Atlantic alliance were a ‘grave mistake with far reaching consequences’.
Russian deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said: ‘They should have no illusions that we will simply put up with it,’ and insisted ‘the general level of military tension will rise’.
This morning a video believed to have been filmed on a road leading to Vyborg, around 24 miles from the Finnish border, shows the deployment of mobile Iskander missiles.
Seven launchers are thought to be en route according to commentary on a dash cam video broadcast by Russian media.
A person is heard to say: ‘As soon as the president of Finland said they were joining Nato, a whole division of Iskanders, seven of them is moving towards Vyborg.
‘Looks like a new military unit is about to be formed in Vyborg or the region.’
The footage emerged as it was claimed on Russian state television that Moscow could launch nuclear weapons on its European border if Sweden and Finland allow military bases on their territories.
Vladimir Putin would be left with ‘no choice’ but to ‘neutralise the new threat’, a commentator suggested on channel Rossiya One.
Finland officially announced plans to sign up to Nato on Sunday, defying warnings from Russia that the move would be met with ‘retaliatory steps’.
Hours later, Sweden’s ruling Social Democrat party dropped its 73-year opposition to joining the alliance – abandoning decades of military non-alignment in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In response, the commentator told Rossiya One: ‘Their official reason is fear. But they’ll have more fear in Nato.
‘When Nato bases appear in Sweden and Finland, Russia will have no choice but to neutralise the imbalance and new threat by deploying tactical weapons.’
Stockholm’s formal application to join Nato is expected to begin today after being debated and agreed by MPs.
The dramatic U-turn by Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and her party comes as she warned Sweden and Europe are facing a ‘dangerous new reality’.
‘The best thing for the security of Sweden and the Swedish people is to join Nato,’ she said.
Announcing Finland’s bid to join the 30-member Western military alliance, President Sauli Niinisto said: ‘This is a historic day. A new era begins.’
However, both Sweden and Finland face opposition from Turkey – which said it would not view applications to join the Atlantic military alliance favourably.
Swedish defence minister, Peter Hultqvist, told public service broadcaster SVT that diplomats would be sent to Turkey in a bid to resolve tensions and address any concerns.
Both Nato and the US have said they are confident Ankara will not block membership of the Nordic states.
Any decision will require the approval of all 30 members of the alliance and their parliaments.
Diplomats said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would be under pressure to yield as Finland and Sweden would greatly strengthen Nato in the Baltic Sea.
‘I’m confident that we will be able to address the concerns that Turkey has expressed in a way that doesn’t delay the membership,’ Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday.
The Kremlin warning comes as a senior Putin ally threatened a nuclear attack that could wipe Britain out in less than four minutes – and destroy Finland in 10 seconds.
But Russia’s advance into Ukraine is faltering according to a senior Nato chief who believes Kiev can win the war waged by the Kremlin.
Nato deputy secretary-general Mircea Geoana told reporters: ‘The brutal invasion (by) Russia is losing momentum.
‘We know that with the bravery of the Ukrainian people and army, and with our help, Ukraine can win this war.’
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By: Siba Jackson