Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev yesterday issued a stern warning to Finland and Sweden, confirming that both countries are now the target of Russian counterattacks, including a possible nuclear strike, following their decision to join NATO.
The warning came as Russia is reportedly busy building a new military base near the Finnish border, just 160 kilometers from Helsinki, which can accommodate tens of thousands of troops.
Medvedev also stressed that Russia now considers Finland and Sweden as enemies, thus making them automatically military targets according to the country's defense doctrine.
At the same time, President Vladimir Putin continues to strengthen his armed forces by increasing the number of personnel to 1.5 million and increasing military spending to more than 6% of GDP, which is three times higher than the average European country.
It carries a clear signal that Russia is preparing for a large-scale conflict.
The situation has heated up further when neighboring countries such as Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have also taken drastic steps by withdrawing from the mine ban treaty, showing their loyalty to NATO and preparing for a potential ground attack with Russia.
Denmark's top intelligence agency has warned that Russia could launch a full-scale war on Europe within five years if NATO is seen as weak or unprepared.
