"After joining NATO, Helsinki, under the guise of 'defensive' measures, has pursued a path of preparing for war with Russia, seemingly creating a springboard for an attack against us," Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said in a post on TASS on 8/9.

Medvedev accused NATO of being involved in these matters and increasing its presence in all five of Finland's operational domains: land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace.

"Military activity is booming," the deputy chairman emphasized.

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev in Dubna, Russia, in June 2024. Photo: Reuters

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev in Dubna, Russia, in June 2024. Photo: Reuters

Medvedev pointed out that the establishment of a NATO ground force command structure in Lapland, Finland, is underway near the Russian border. In the event of a "change in the operational situation," the number of soldiers there could increase to brigade size, with 5,000 personnel. The deployment of the headquarters of NATO's Multinational Corps Northeast (MCLCC) in Mikkeli, Finland, is also in progress.

The Russian security official said that "there's no need to explain who the activities of these units will be aimed at," implying they are targeted at Moscow.

"New garrison units are springing up, for example, in the village of Ivalo, just 40 km from Russian territory," Medvedev said.

Finland has not yet responded to the accusations from the Russian Security Council deputy chairman.

Russia-Finland border. Graphics: BBC.

Russia-Finland border. Graphics: BBC.

Finland joined NATO in April 2023, ending decades of military non-alignment. Finland's NATO membership has added over 1,300 km to the alliance's border with Russia, a development Moscow has repeatedly described as a security concern.

Ngoc Anh (TASS, AA, Yahoo News)