Russia has warned that Finland’s plan to remove restrictions on hosting nuclear weapons could be seen as a direct threat to its security, signaling that Moscow would respond if the proposal is implemented.

 

 

 

Speaking on Friday, March 6, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the deployment of nuclear weapons in Finland would change the security dynamics in the region and force Russia to take countermeasures.

 

 

 

 

“By deploying nuclear weapons on its territory, Finland is beginning to threaten us,” Peskov said, adding that Russia would take “appropriate measures” if such a step is taken.

 

 

 

Finland, which became a member of NATO in 2023, announced plans to remove its long-standing ban on nuclear weapons in order to align with the alliance’s deterrence strategy.

 

 

Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said the proposed policy change would allow nuclear weapons to be brought into the country, transported, delivered, or possessed within Finland if required for national defence.

 

 

 

 

The Nordic nation ended decades of military neutrality when it joined NATO in April 2023, a decision triggered by Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine ordered by President Vladimir Putin.

 

 

 

Hakkanen noted that the security environment in both Finland and Europe has “fundamentally and significantly changed and deteriorated” since the start of the war in Ukraine.

 

 

 

Relations between Helsinki and Moscow have also been strained by accusations from Finland that Russia has engaged in “hybrid warfare,” including allegedly directing migrants toward their 1,340-kilometre shared border. The Kremlin has denied the allegation.