Russia to deploy more weapons in response to NATO's Nordic expansion

After the Hungarian parliament ratified Stockholm's application last Monday, Sweden is set to become the 32nd member of NATO. Finland joined the Alliance last year, with both nations applying after Russia initiated its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

At a diplomatic forum in Antalya, Turkey, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed NATO's expansion. "An organizational decision was made to reestablish the Moscow and Leningrad Military Districts. Additional weapons will be deployed there to adequately respond to potential threats from Finland and Sweden," Lavrov declared, echoing familiar Russian narratives.

With Hungary's approval for Sweden to join the North Atlantic Alliance, the Baltic Sea is now referred to as a "NATO lake." "This development is not just a setback for the Kremlin but also constitutes 'Putin's new Nordic nightmare,'" the Daily Mail reports.

The Baltic Sea's strategic significance as a "NATO lake" is highlighted. "Sweden's integration into the Alliance completes the maritime security puzzle around its coasts, offering NATO the advantage to fortify the Baltic states' defense," the British publication elaborates.

Analysts believe this shift ensures that Western allies, including Great Britain and the United States, are "poised to limit Russia's operational freedom on this crucial maritime corridor, should a conflict with Moscow arise."

Source: TASS