Russia Threatens Nuclear Weapons in Response to NATO Expansion in Finland
Tensions between Russia and the NATO defence alliance have reached a new boiling point. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin openly stated that Russia and Belarus are in a state of constant readiness to use all available means, including nuclear weapons, to guarantee the security of their territory.
The harsh statement came as a direct response to NATO’s move to reinforce its eastern flank. Recently, NATO announced that its Forward Land Forces (FLF) in Finland, including a new multinational battlegroup led by Sweden, had commenced operations to support the alliance’s defence in its north-eastern region.
Galuzin stressed that the deployment of NATO forces near the borders of Russia and Belarus is considered a provocative act. He referred to the Union State, the political and economic alliance between Moscow and Minsk, which now feels threatened by the Western military presence.
“We remain in a state of constant readiness to use all means, including nuclear means, to ensure the security of the Union State,” Galuzin said, as quoted by the Izvestia newspaper.
This comment was also supported by claims from senior Russian official Sergei Shoigu, who accused NATO countries of drafting attack scenarios against Belarus and Russia through various military exercises in border regions.
On the other side, diplomatic dynamics in Western Europe are beginning to show a shift. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged that his country be included in every discussion aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Tusk made the statement after the leaders of the United Kingdom, Germany, and France met with President Volodymyr Zelensky in London to discuss a potential ceasefire.
Tusk expressed a cautious attitude towards the idea of rapid dialogue with President Vladimir Putin. As one of the largest military backers of Ukraine, Poland fears being sidelined by Western European powers in determining the future security of the region.
While the nuclear threat looms, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to strengthen defence cooperation. Zelensky offered to send teams of drone experts to European partners to build a defensive shield against Russian air attacks.
Zelensky claimed that Ukraine possesses low-cost interceptor drone technology that has been tested on the battlefield. This offer was welcomed by Baltic states, such as Estonia, which predicts that airspace disturbances will continue as the conflict progresses.
As of now, the situation on NATO’s eastern border remains tense, with both sides continuing to increase military readiness, while diplomatic channels are still searching for an elusive common ground.