Russia threatens to take countermeasures after Sweden joins NATO

Russia warned that it would take countermeasures after Sweden joined NATO to confront any threat to its national security.

“We will closely monitor what Sweden will do in this aggressive military bloc and how it will perform its role as a NATO member… and we will shape our response accordingly with military technical measures and other countermeasures,” the spokeswoman said. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Maria Zakharova.

Noting that Sweden's non-aligned policy was an important factor in maintaining stability in northern Europe, Zakharova said that the country's joining NATO would undermine its sovereignty.

“Sweden’s accession to NATO is accompanied by the continued cultivation of anti-Russian hysteria in the country, which unfortunately is encouraged by the Swedish political and military leadership, but whose main source is abroad. It is not the Swedes themselves who make this choice. This choice was made by (others),” Zakharova said. ) for the Swedes.

Through its telegram post on Tuesday, the Russian Embassy in Stockholm also referred to unspecified “countermeasures” being taken by Moscow, depending on the size of NATO’s military force and the development of weapons systems on the territory of Sweden.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson commented that the Russian statements were not surprising. “They said the same thing when Finland joined NATO,” Kristersson said during his visit to the town of Trollhetan.

The Swedish Prime Minister added: “It is known that Russia does not like Sweden and/or Finland to be members of NATO, but we decide.” Kristersson said Sweden was “on high alert” to respond to any action by Russia. “We are well prepared and watching what they do,” he stressed.