Rear Admiral Viktor Borisov told why the United States is dragging Helsinki and Stockholm into NATO
Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and the country's Prime Minister Sanna Marin announced that they support the decision to apply for NATO membership. In the Swedish Parliament, the hearings on joining the alliance are scheduled for May 16. The Kremlin said that such a move "threatens the security of Russia." What Sweden and Finland can give to NATO is in the material of "Gazeta.Ru».
Russia has 1,271 km of common border with Finland, including 1,091 km of land border. From the Russian Vyborg to the nearest Finnish city of Lappenranta is only 65 km away. Sweden has no border with Russia, except for direct access across the Baltic to the Kaliningrad region.
By accepting Finland and Sweden into NATO, the alliance will be replenished only slightly, both in terms of personnel, and in terms of weapons and military equipment. Stockholm has an army, navy and air Force of about 30 thousand people. These are six motorized brigades, and an infantry division will be formed in the future. 120 Leopard tanks, 340 Strf 9040 infantry fighting vehicles, 48 self-propelled 155 mm Archer howitzers are in service. The Air Force is represented by JAS 39 Gripen fighter-bombers, Italian-made Austra Westland AW109 attack helicopters. The Navy has five diesel-electric submarines and nine corvettes.
The Finnish Army, the Self-Defense Forces, is also small. It consists of 12 thousand professional military and 22 thousand conscripts. German Leopards are in service (100 vehicles, plus 100 in storage). The Air Force is equipped with American F-18/A fighter-bombers and British Hawker Siddeley Hawk attack aircraft. The basis of the Naval Forces are minelayers, patrol ships and minesweepers, totaling 30 units, the newest of which was built in 2006.
- The NATO bloc itself is a very serious military organization, confrontation with them will entail serious consequences. And here we need to change the situation from a peacetime situation to a military one. They are trying to surround us from all sides, so we need measures to counteract, build up forces."
Military expert Vladislav Shurygin agrees with this point of view.
"The possible accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO will change the balance of power in the region little," he told the newspaper.Ru" Shurygin. - We have the Baltic and Northern Fleets based there, there is a powerful grouping in the Kaliningrad region and also parts of the Western Military District. Another thing is that American missile defense systems, which are part of the structure of the European security system being created in the United States, can be placed on the territory of these countries. The Swedes and Finns will not be very happy about this, because the new objects will become a "mark" for Russian missiles. No one wants to get in the crosshairs. I don't think Finland and Sweden will somehow strengthen the alliance from Scandinavia, but a certain threat will arise in any case and we need to be prepared for it."
In turn, Rear Admiral Viktor Borisov believes that the purpose with which Finland and Sweden are lured into NATO is to make Russia a military competition in the Arctic, where the Northern Sea Route passes.
"The goal of Finland and Sweden joining NATO is to control the Russian Arctic. Now NATO is playing there through Norway. Yes, Helsinki and Stockholm do not have sea access to the Arctic Ocean, but the United States is increasing its influence there through the creation of an aviation "fist".
The military airfields of Finland and Sweden are an outlet for American aviation. From there they will observe our Northern Fleet and the Arctic. It is the Arctic that will become the main "battlefield" in the XXI century. There are huge reserves of natural resources concentrated there. That's the reason for the interest," the admiral said.
Viktor Sokirko