Russia is apparently moving military equipment to its border with Finland – hundreds of kilometers away from Ukraine.
Support for NATO membership has since grown in the Nordic nation Ukraine was invaded.
Prime Minister Sanna Marin said possible membership would be discussed ‘within the next few weeks’.
But alarming new images have now emerged, which seem to show a dramatic display of aggression from Russia.
Military equipment, including coastal defense systems, were seen on the road from Russia to Helsinki.
The rockets form the K-300P Bastion-P mobile coastal defense system, designed to ‘take out surface ships up to and including airborne battle groups’, according to the Daily mail.
Last night, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that NATO enlargement would bring “no stability” to Europe.
Finland, and its neighbor Sweden, have previously avoided NATO membership in a bid not to provoke Russia.
But the invasion of Ukraine led to renewed consideration of membership.
If they join NATO, both countries would benefit from the Alliance’s defense clause, which calls on all members to defend any allies that have been attacked
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Recent opinion polls in Finland have shown that 84% of people see Russia as a ‘major military threat’, a 25% increase over the previous year.
But, speaking to Nordic journalists on Thursday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg promised that both Sweden and Finland ‘could easily join this alliance if they decide to apply’.
He added: “They have worked together for many years, we know they meet NATO standards when it comes to interoperability, democratic control over the armed forces.”
