Putin is planning to deploy troops along his new NATO border

Russian President Vladimir Putin is planning to deploy soldiers and strike systems along Russia’s border with Finland now that it is a member of NATO according to remarks that Putin made during an interview with state media. 

Putin called the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO a meaningless step but also revealed that Russia would be sending soldiers and weapons of destruction to Finland’s border following the country’s accession into NATO. 

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"This is an absolutely meaningless step [for Finland and Sweden] from the point of view of ensuring their own national interests," Putin told Russian state-owned news agencies  RIA and Rossiya-1 according to a Reuters report. 

“We didn't have troops there [at the Finland border], now they will be there. There were no systems of destruction there, now they will appear," Putin continued. But what is the context behind the move and why does it matter?

Both Finland and Sweden had remained outside of NATO prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which was the event that prompted both countries to apply together for their membership in the defensive alliance back in 2022. 

Finland officially joined NATO in April 2023 according to a report by United International Press, but Sweden’s membership was held up by Turkey and Hungary until the latter of the two states gave its final approval in February. 

"Joining NATO is good for Finland, it is good for Nordic security, and it is good for NATO as a whole," NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg said in April 2023 when Finland joined the defensive alliance. 

“Finland brings substantial and highly capable forces, expertise in national resilience, and years of experience working side by side with NATO allies,” Stoltenberg continued, adding that he was looking forward to welcoming Sweden as well.

Finland and Sweden are now both covered under NATO’s Article 5 protection which is a defensive clause that states that if any one member of the defensive alliance is attacked then all members of NATO will come to that country’s aid. 

However, the more important aspect of Finland and Sweden joining NATO is how it has changed the strategic and military situation for Russia in the Northwest and Baltic Sea, making the defense of Russia far more difficult. 

Sweden not only adds “highly capable military forces with a good deal of cutting-edge technology” to NATO but also a geographically significant position between NATO nations and the Baltic Sea according to Andrew Dorman of Chatham House. 

On the other hand, Finland might be even more strategically important for NATO since its addition to the alliance extended NATO’s border with Russia by 1,340 kilometers or 832 miles according to the Associated Press. 

Putin explained in his interview that Russian and Finland generally had ideal relations, noting that neither country had any claim against the other’s territory and pointed out that Russia didn’t have any troops stationed along the border. 

"However, it is up to them to decide. That's what they decided. But we didn't have troops there, now we will,” Putin stated according to a translation of his comments from United International Press. 

Putin’s remarks about manning the border with Finland were not the only controversial things he said during his interview with state media. The Russian President also stated that his country was ready for nuclear war with the West according to Reuters. 

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“From a military-technical point of view, we are, of course, ready," Putin said before he added that Russia wasn’t rushing towards a nuclear confrontation but that Moscow was ready for it.