Russia threatens to deploy missiles if Sweden joins NATO
“Russia will increase its military forces on its northern and northwestern borders, including build-ups of its Northern fleet, if Sweden joins NATO,” says deputy head of Federation Council’s Committee for Defence and Security Evgeny Serebrennikov.
Serebrennikov came with the announcement Friday.
The threatening statement from Moscow was likely the reason why Sweden’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Margot Wallström Friday afternoon posted a tweet stating “Sweden decides it’s own security policy: staying military non-aligned, a stronger defence and cooperation.”
Quoted by RIA Novosti, Serebennikov continued: “We are talking not only about some technical measures, we are talking numbers as well.”
He detailed the military build-ups by announcing Russia would deploy to it northern regions the newest missiles that NATO systems cannot intercept.
“Both Sweden and NATO need to make conclusions,” Serebrennikov added.
Also Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warns Sweden against NATO membership. “Russia will respond in military-technical terms on its borders in the north if Sweden decides to join NATO,” he said in an interview with the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter on Thursday.
