Russia Threatens Finland and Sweden with ‘Serious Military-Political Repercussions’ if They Join NATO
Ambassador of Finland to the US responds: “It is the sovereign right of each nation to make decisions on its security policy.”
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WAJ NOTE: This is the 44,000th post published by Legal Insurrection since inception on October 12, 2008. Oorah!
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Not content with waging war in Ukraine, Russian officials are warning its neighbors Sweden and Finland, that they will face ‘military consequences’ if they join NATO.
Russia has issued a chilling warning to its neighbors Sweden and Finland, saying both nations will face ‘military consequences’ if they join NATO.
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that such a move in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would have ‘serious military-political repercussions.’
‘Finland and Sweden should not base their security on damaging the security of other countries and their accession to NATO can have detrimental consequences and face some military and political consequences,’ Zakharova said during a news briefing.
The foreign ministry later reiterated the threat on Twitter.
‘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,’ the department wrote. ‘Finland’s accession to @NATO would have serious military and political repercussions.’
An intriguing history lesson, for those of us who like to look at the past for hints about the future. Russia invaded Finland during the ‘Winter War’ of 1939-1940. It didn’t go down as smoothly and easily as the Russians hoped.
A faked border incident gave the Soviet Union the excuse to invade on 30 November 1939. The Red Army was ill-equipped, poorly led, and unable to deal with the Finnish terrain and winter weather. Though small and under-resourced, the Finnish Army was resilient, well-led and was able to use knowledge of the terrain to good effect.
Despite the overwhelming odds, Finland resisted for three months with little outside assistance. However, it was only a matter of time before the balance of power tipped in the Soviet Union’s favour.
The Red Army came back strongly. Their command structure was reorganised, modern equipment was brought in and there was a badly needed change of tactics and personnel.
The Finns blamed Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov for war and named an improvised incendiary grenade after him. The ‘Molotov Cocktail’ proved to be a primitive but effective anti-tank weapon against Soviet forces. Reports are Ukrainians officials are following the Finnish example.
People in Kyiv were told to make Molotov cocktail petrol bombs on Friday as they hid in makeshift shelters and basements, awaiting a Russian assault on the Ukrainian capital.
Missiles pounded Kyiv overnight and air raid sirens wailed, increasing fears among residents who did not flee the city of 3 million on Thursday that an assault was imminent.
“Make Molotov cocktails, neutralise the occupier!,” the Defence Ministry said, while local authorities told people in the northwestern Obolon area of the city to stay off the streets because “active hostilities” were approaching.
The Swedes didn’t do very well during their last encounter with Russia in the 1740’s.
Meanwhile, the Finns don’t appear to be rolling over as a result of this threat.
Many people in DC ask about Finland and NATO. Partnership with the alliance is very important for us. While maintaining a strong national defense, we retain the opportunity to apply for membership. It is the sovereign right of each nation to make decisions on its security policy.
— Mikko Hautala 🇫🇮 (@FINambUS) February 25, 2022
Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson also seemed unmoved by the intimidation.
Strong unity in condemning Russia and supporting Ukraine at today’s NATO Summit with Sweden, Finland and the EU. We stand side by side with our NATO partners.
— SwedishPM (@SwedishPM) February 25, 2022
A former oil tycoon who spent ten years in prison has an explanation for the current situation. He insists that Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘has gone mad’ after ordering the invasion of Ukraine.
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who was once believed to be the wealthiest man in Russia, spoke out last night as Ukrainian troops battled to repel an attack by Putin’s forces.
….Speaking to The Times, he attempted to explain Putin’s actions after the Russian president shocked the world by ordering the full-scale attack on Ukraine.
He said: ‘I think we are not dealing with a sane person, it is someone who has gone mad.
‘He wants to make Russia great again and in 50 or 100 years he wants to be remembered as a great ruler of Russia.’
The threats against Finland and Sweden are suggestive that Khodorkovsky’s assessment may be correct.
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Comments
I’d take the dare if I were Finland or Sweden. Russia would fare even worse there than in Ukraine.
Not sure I would. Look at who we have in charge here. Idiot is worried about “muh democracy” over in the Ukraine and he won’t even stop the invasion on our southern border.
The bribes Sweden and Finland would have to pay for any kind of help should the russians invade might well be in the billions for EFF joe biden* and his cocaine feuled kid.
With no guarantee that he’d actually do anything.
It’s not about whether Biden would help or not. Finland has been invaded by Russia on more than one occasion, and while it hasn’t always won it’s almost always bloodied the Russians badly. Putin isn’t Stalin, as much as he might dream of being Uncle Joe. He can’t ignore losses, and the Finns would inflict staggering ones even if they ended up losing. And Sweden doesn’t have to do anything except help, since Russia can’t even get to them without going through Finland first.
I don’t think Putin is crazy – unless you mean like a fox.
I think he thinks everyone else has gone crazy and decided to let it rip. Something else is going on here. And those in power know exactly what it is. He’s got a whole hell of lot of countries over a barrel (of energy), not to mention all kinds of “goods” on corruption in high places. Ukraine is his “useful tool” and he’ll use it to the max til he gets whatever he wants. Which he WILL get. And All the “Hoorah” for Ukraine. will fade like a false memory.
Threatening small non participants does not show much confidence in one’s position.
That sounds to me like a pretty good reason to join NATO.
Yes. Join NATO so the USA can pick up your defense expenses and manpower. Just like with Germany.
^^^!like we do for Germany
I think we should continue to pick up Germany’s expenses. Forever. The more we encourage them to not have a serious military the better for everyone around them.
I think the USA should negotiate an exit from NATO. We no longer station enough soldiers in Europe to stop the Russians. We should set a date after which the Europeans can look after themselves.
America is getting out of the Global Management Business.
It’s not so much that we don’t have enough soldiers there. It is that Europe needs to end the good times of six week vacations, 35 hour work weeks, and free everything, and pay for their own defenses.
And while they’re at it, they could stop lecturing us about how morally superior they are to us due to their outsized social programs. You know, those social programs they could never afford if we weren’t paying the vast majority of their defense tab.
“Russia threatens…”
Putin is not to be taken lightly. Both right and left, Republicans and Democrats have stated categorically that Putin is acting strangely. He is unhinged, a madman, insane, etc. etc. This is not mere rhetoric but actual assertions that Putin’s personality has changed dramatically in the past few months. There is something wrong with the man.
If this is true, there is a real possiblity of nuclear war with Russia. If that shuould occur while Biden is president our nation would be toast.
No one knows who is really in charge, or who would make the decision, probably several layers thick. When seconds count, our missile lauch would be many minutes or even hours away.
Anyway, who has the code for the nuclear football? Does Joe have it in his pocket? Is it in Jill’s purse? Maybe it’s on a sticky note on top of his desk. As Debra Kerr told Robert Mitchum, “Heaven Knows Mr. Allison.”
Not all the Russian military command is out of their minds like Vlad might be. All those top brass and rich civilians need to be alive so as to enjoy their life styles.
Loved the film by the way.
Is Gerasimov calling DC to promise a call before Putin pushes the button?
Before? No, he promised to call after to make sure everyone is dead.
Putin rolled the dice. Played well… this could be the Russian version of Germany’s Battle of the Bulge.
Russia had a very small window of opportunity to expand its empire. This could well mean the end of Russia… so be careful. With nothing to lose and cornered, Russia has only nukes to use as a threat. Especially as Kazakhstan told Putin to pound sand.
Putin could be playing Russian roulette.
“Russia had a very small window of opportunity to expand its empire.”
As Proffessor Rapson said in ‘The Day After Tomorrow’: “I’m afraid that time has come and gone, my friend.”
Maybe they gave it to China who then passed it on to Russia. That’s the way Brandon rolls.
Brandon Let’s Go!
Maybe the third time will be the charm, and we can silence the eastern menace for another seven generations.
Now there is this
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2022/02/26/islamist-kadyrov-unleash-thousands-chechen-fighters-ukraine/
odd. lot of this stuff is based on non nato countries looking to join nato.
the same nato who has a high percentage of members never meeting their gdp spending requirements.
USA underwriting more non paying members a great way to weaken us from the russia/nato side and allow china further expansion.
just friggin odd.
What about this seems insane? It seems to make pretty good sense.
He’s playing chess against Biden… no way he loses.
A “Third Winter War”?
Remember… gasoline in the bottle, diesel for the wick…. better yet thermite but I am dreaming.
He’s trying to isolate NATO which has a lot of appeasers.
He knows all the western countries are sick of war after 20 years fighting optional foreign wars.
Biden is so easy to tip over, Putin can just go around the playground and steal everyone’s lunch money without being challenged. This tactic of “don’t get involved or YOU ARE NEXT” worked pretty damn well for Hitler. Spoiler alert, you are next anyway.
Seriously? Sick of war after 20 years of fighting optional wars? Nobody has fought a war in the west since it became optional. If you’re “sick of war” it’s because you’re tired of the 24 hr news cycle.
Tell me, how many times did you dirty your boots?
The question is whether Russia really intends to attack Finland if Finland doesn’t play ball. The threat to Sweden is obvious nonsense since Russia has no land route to Sweden that doesn’t go through Finland or northern Norway. I suppose Russia could park some ships off the coast and shell Stockholm.
Russia has long range bombers. It doesn’t have to be an invasion either. Could be political assassinations or terrorist activity. The last thing Putin needs right now is to expand the battlefront. Russia is a 3rd world economy about the size of Mexico. Norway is very wealthy for such a small economy. Sweden is a mystery to me.
How is Finland set for goodies like SAMs and other nasties?
I don’t know. I’ve always considered them politically neutral and careful about picking sides. I also don’t believe these threats are that serious. I suspect Putin expected this invasion to be over already and is now trying to expand the conversation to include others who would need materiel that is now going to Ukraine.
I also doubt Putin is listening to his generals. Russia was getting everything they wanted without a fight except for Putin’s restoration of the Soviet Union. Getting bogged down in a war which could prove to be humiliating can’t be popular among his generals or the Russian population. A Vietnam right at their doorstep.
I keep thinking about reports that his hatred for Elon Musk is because Musk has become his biggest obstacle to Putin’s big hopes for Russia beating China in space dominance. Now the US is back thanks to Musk. Naturally, Brandon has declared war against Spacex because they are not unionized.
I don’t know who is deranged right now, Brandon or Putin.
Wasn’t Musk born in Hawaii? Isn’t that birth requirement for President an anachronism anyway, with the new world order?
@jb4: I thought Musk was born in South Africa? I know it wasn’t in the US so it doesn’t matter and he will never be president.
And now it is irrelevant:
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/devastating-move-us-weighs-sanctions-russias-central-bank-germany-backs-targeted
The US and EU have agreed to block certain Russian banks from SWIFT and to take Russia’s central bank out if the equation. Even Germany and other nations dependent on Russia for natural gas are on board. It’s on.
Russia now is under extreme pressure since once the energy revenues shrink, their economy is in the toilet. Putin must have known this would happen which further supports the idea that he really has lost his marbles. Good luck trusting China as a partner too.
We’ll see if what is being reported is what it is purported to be or just a smoke screen. This is going to send oil, gold and bitcoin soaring. It’s also going to hurt all of the world’s economies. But it’s like I’ve been saying for a long time, there is no easy way to dig out from the economic hole we dug for ourselves. Now we have to gird our loins for what could be a long and deep recession…… unless we start pumping oil again and growing our own food and making our own stuff.
Thank you!
Sweden is pretty much a useless military power, with almost no capability to fight a war even against the Grand Duchy of Fenwick, with one exception: it has 5 capable submarines. Attack by sea will be costly.
Finland has no navy. a very small tank force, a decent amount of artillery. I think it is, like Switzerland, concentrated on defense, and hence the artillery and a great amount of STA and anti-tank missiles are its choice.
A quick google search on the Finland – Russian border, for anyone too lazy to do it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland%E2%80%93Russia_border
“The Finnish–Russian border is the roughly north–south international border between the Republic of Finland (European Union member) and the Russian Federation. Some 1,340 km (830 mi) long,[1] it runs mostly through uninhabited taiga forests and sparsely populated rural areas, not following any particular natural feature or river.[2] It is also part of the external border of both the political and economic union; European Union (EU) and the loose confederation; Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)…”
Jiminy Christmas do I have to do all the work?
Finland beat the hell out Russia in WWII but now both countries are run by women that want sex with Africans.
Can you just stop.
Also, sea borders count. Try running the Skagerakk without permission.
Also, sea borders count. Try running the through the Skagerakk without permission.
One of my favorite novels had a tug boat making the Arctic passage during WWII. It had it all.
I like tug boats.
An intriguing history lesson, for those of us who like to look at the past for hints about the future. Russia invaded Finland during the ‘Winter War’ of 1939-1940. It didn’t go down as smoothly and easily as the Russians hoped.
As noted above –
Russia’s ineptitude in Finland encourage Hilter to invade Russia, Russia obviously made corrections which helped in their defeat of hitler.
A second point was Britain, france and the US were planning on how to invade russia in response to the invasion of finland. One of the plans was bombing the caucas oil fields, but it was decided against due to the inability to hit the oil fields without have bases in turkey or greec.
Those plans also shifted after barbarosa
Russia has been invaded by Sweden, the Mongols, the Japanese, the Dutch, Turkey, France, England, Germany, Austria, Hungary, the US and even Australia. And, about 5 other countries I would have to look up.
Don’t bother. Arminius! Could you look this up for us!
BTW, the Russians attacked the Aleuts sometime in the 19th century and lost.
Finland should find a way to hijack the signal feeds of Russian broadcast outlets and then play a really good recording of Finlandia.
And gun boats.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asheville-class_gunboat
Who here has fought a war since Simo Häyhä.
As randian said, the threats against Sweden are ridiculous, since it has no border with Russia. But Norway, a NATO country, does have a border with Russia.
I suspect that Putin will aggressively try to take enough of Ukraine so that he has a land route to the Crimea for his big warm-water port at Sevastopol. That also gives him complete control over the Sea of Azov.
The next logical place for Putin to attack would be in Poland or Lithuania to seize a land route between Kalingrad and the rest of Russia.
The Soviets seized (and renamed) Konigsberg, the capital of East Prussia, giving them a good port on the Baltic. But Poland and Lithuania block the land route to this port. Like Crimea, this looks like an obvious place for Putin to extend Russian territory.
https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/Baltic-states-map.htm
Russia is hardly in a position to start invading multiple countries. Norway’s border with Russia is a small one to the far north, actually within the Arctic Circle.
Finland has dealt with Russian invasions multiple times, and while it doesn’t always win it makes Russia pay for every inch. Putin can’t afford the losses that would come from that. He’s not running China, with nearly unlimited manpower, and he’s not Stalin, able to drive troops forward because they’re more scared of him than the enemy. Finland would cost the Russians dearly.
And Poland is a member of NATO, so attacking them would bring a response even from the feckless leadership running most western countries.
The Finnish sniper. Who fought a war like no other. Look at his face! His bolt blew up on him.
When they come to your neighborhood remember Tuco. “When you have to shoot, shoot, don’t talk!”
Perhaps a more serious investment in missile defense would have been a good idea. If Putin really is crazy then nuclear war is inevitable.
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/images/simo-hyh-3.jpg
Look at his face. I’ve looked in the face of men horribly injured, burned. Check out my first aid kit some time; I call it my chainsawing kit. Because I’ve seen what a 7.65 NATO round can do to a human skull.
Sorry if I sound like a broken record.
https://www.sofmag.com/marine-gunnery-sergeant-carlos-hathcock-white-feather/
I don’t want to see it again.
Sorry for not being at the bus stop. The important question is what could Andy have done about it? I carry a trauma kit in the trunk of my bad ass Mustang.
You win, Andy.
Bet some in Sweden and Finland wish their military was armed with nukes. All the high moral principles in the world don’t amount to anything if you can’t defend yourself.