Russia now threatening Finland and Sweden if they join NATO

[TheRealNorth]

Link to tweet

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Finland or Sweden joining Nato would spark Russian response - Moscow warns
Russian spokesperson Maria Zakharova

A spokesperson for the Russian foreign ministry has warned that the accession of either Finland or Sweden to the defence alliance Nato would spark a serious response from Moscow.

Speaking during a news briefing in Moscow, Maria Zakharova threatened if either Nordic country sought to join the security alliance it "would have serious military and political consequences that would require our country to take reciprocal steps", Russian news agencies reported.

"We regard the Finnish government’s commitment to a military non-alignment policy as an important factor in ensuring security and stability in northern Europe," Zakharova said.

While Finland co-ooperates with the security alliance in some matters, and is attending today's meeting of the body in Brussels, it has not formally joined the bloc.

Last month, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said it was "very unlikely" that Finland would apply for Nato membership during her term in office.

[PatSeg]

1. Putin has lost his mind

[OnDoutside]

13. I'm beginning to think he's definitely rattled ! And he has no memory of the LAST time Russia tried

it on with Finland !

[PatSeg]

16. He is usually so focused and deliberate

Now he is coming across as erratic and impulsive like some mad king.

[uponit7771]

26. +1

[maxrandb]

24. Yes, it seems that he's pissed

almost like he lost something valuable/irreplaceable in Washington.

[uponit7771]

27. +1

[Amishman]

2. Threatening neighbor? Sounds like a damn good reason to join NATO

[Happy Hoosier]

3. Why would Finland and Sweden want to join NATO...

... after Russia wantonly invades a neighbor? I'm perplexed!!!!!

[Celerity]

25. We do not, both Sweden and Finland confirmed no plans to join as of now

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216391509

We already both cooperate to a large degree with NATO anyway. (see the thread)

[Carlitos Brigante]

4. While an actual "hot war" with the Russian Fed. sounds like a

clusterfuck of epic proportions. I think it's way past time someone turn their internet infrastructure into a brick.

[crickets]

21. Others are thinking the same thing.

https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/cybersecurity/anonymous-hackers-launch-cyber-ops-against-russia-claim-government-site-takedowns/

Hackers identifying with the Anonymous collective said tonight that they launched cyber operations that briefly took down some websites associated with the Russian government.

An Anonymous account on Twitter claimed that the group took down “the website of the #Russian propaganda station RT News | http://rt.com | in response to Kremlin’s brutal invasion of #Ukraine.” The site was back up a short time later.

The account also said it also knocked down Russian internet service providers Com2Com, PTT-Teleport Moscow, RELCOM, and Sovam Teleport. [snip]

Hackers were using the #OpRussia or #OpKremlin hashtags to announce actions against Russian sites, similar to the #OpISIS campaign that targeted the terror group’s wave of online propaganda and the #OpKKK campaign that targets white supremacists.

Doesn't sound as though their efforts are terribly effective, but the annoyance factor is there.

The trouble with any substantial cyberwarfare efforts coming from government sources is that Russia could retaliate very effectively. It's likely things would get ugly quickly.

[Carlitos Brigante]

23. Yeah, those fuckers!!! I have to say they've gotten really good at this. As long

as there's plausible deniability from governments. I say go for it. Give them a taste of their own shit.

[highplainsdem]

5. I don't know what MFA Russia thinks the MFA in their name stands for,

but I think it's probably Mother F***ing Assholes.

Or maybe Militant Fascist Assholes.

[TheRealNorth]

6. I lifted this from the BBC News Feed

But the accompanying article says Maria Zakharova is a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry.

[dalton99a]

8. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia

The threat comes from Putin

[highplainsdem]

9. Thanks. I was guessing it was something like that, but under the circumstances I preferred

my take.

[Carlitos Brigante]

12. Or is it "Ministry of Fucking Assholes of Russia"? It's hard to tell these days... nt

[lagomorph777]

7. How many wars does he think his puny economy can support?

He's off his rocker.

[PortTack]

11. To say nothing of fighting a war on more than one front

Hitler May have indeed won the war, or drug it out a lot longer had he not invaded Russia!

[Mr.Bill]

33. Late in the war, Hitler was running out of fuel.

He was in Russia and Northern Africa for oil. He certainly wasn't interested in ruling Libya.

[PortTack]

34. Hitler invaded Russia first in 1941..Leningrad

[crickets]

22. He doesn't sound stable at all, does he? nt

[Emile]

10. The world would be a lot safer without Putin!

Has there ever been any assassination attempts?

[Wounded Bear]

17. The world would be a lot safer if we weren't dependent on oil...

[uponit7771]

28. +1

[OnlinePoker]

14. I expect Putin to carry on into Moldova once he's done with Ukraine.

May as well get one long frontier against NATO while he's at it. It's not like his reputation could get any worse.

[Wounded Bear]

18. Moldova is already Russia friendly. Russian troops were there at start of this invasion...nt

[peggysue2]

15. I think we can officially say Putin is off his rocker

An attempt to go after Finland or Sweden would erase any chance of avoiding WWIII.

Putin has lost it! This is beyond reckless. It's suicidal on a global scale.

[Irish_Dem]

19. Putin is trying to show the world he is shifting world power.

He and China are planning to be the world superpowers.

Putin is showing his strength now that he has greatly weakened western democracies. He is counting on the west not wanting to start WWIII over his power grabs.

I do not think it is insanity.

I think it is a long term, well thought out plan by two ruthless leaders. Xi and Putin.

Autocratic, fascist governments trying to control the world.

[VGNonly]

20. Finland

75% of their oil and nearly 100% of natural gas comes from Russia.

Nice country, it would be a shame if you can't heat it.

[Beetwasher.]

29. Finland Would Kick His Ass

Every citizen has a gun and is trained to use it and is in the reserves. They would fuck him up all by themselves.

[TheRealNorth]

32. Finland would definitely punch above its weight class....

But there are too few Finns.

The last time Russia invaded Finland:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_War#

[pecosbob]

30. To justify invading Ukraine Putin claimed it is traditionally part of Russia

He said all the former possessions of Czarist Russia never should have been granted autonomy in 1917. This includes Finland. After the invasion had begun and Putin made this ludicrous claim the Finnish president stated this would change the discussion about Finland's joining NATO.

[muriel_volestrangler]

31. "... but security and stability in Eastern Europe is something we are determined to destroy" (nt)