Finland and Sweden Could Become Targets for Russia If NATO Forces Are Deployed, Says Polyansky

Finland and Sweden, which seek to join NATO, could become targets for Russia if troops from the alliance are stationed on their territories, said Dmitry Polyansky, the first deputy permanent representative of Russia to the United Nations, in an interview with the British online magazine UnHerd.

"They know that certain retaliatory steps from the Russian side will be required after they become NATO members," he stated. "If NATO units are present in those areas, then those territories will become a target or a potential target," the diplomat added.

Polyansky referred to NATO as a "hostile bloc" and an "enemy." "Finland and Sweden, by becoming part of it, must take on all the risks. They have lived normally with us, like good neighbors, for decades. If they suddenly decide to become part of this unfriendly alliance, that is their business," he said.

At the same time, the first deputy representative of Russia at the UN does not believe that the accession of these countries to NATO would pose a threat to Russia's security. According to him, "this will be the worst decision for them, but not for Russia," which is ready to confront the alliance's threats and has taken the necessary precautions for that.