Russia will be forced to take tit-for-tat steps of military-technical nature to stop threats to its national security in response to Finland’s possible accession to NATO, according to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry published on Thursday, TASS reports.
"The Russian side repeatedly noted that the choice of ways to ensure its national security is up to Finland’s authorities and people. However, Helsinki should realize the responsibility and the consequences of such a move," the statement stressed. "Finland joining NATO will seriously harm bilateral Russian-Finnish relations and the maintenance of stability and security in the North European region. Russia will be forced to take retaliatory steps both of military-technical and of other nature in order to stop the threats to its national security that emerge as a result," the ministry noted.