Putin hasn’t said how he would retaliate if Finland were to become a member, but experts suggested that economic sanctions, cyberattacks or even military action were likely.
When the Finnish Reservists’ Assn. recently announced wartime defense courses for civilian women in the southern town of Haemeenlinna, the 400 slots filled almost immediately, with a waiting list of 500 more.
The relationship has grown increasingly tense since Russia invaded Ukraine two months ago. For the first time, Finland is considering seeking membership in NATO, prompting threats of retaliation from Russian President Vladimir Putin.The reservists group is primarily responsible for keeping its call-up soldiers ready for war. Its civilian classes — like those Airikki leads — have always been popular, but nothing prepared it for the nationwide enrollment spike since the attack on Ukraine.
In the end, Finland signed a peace treaty — the Moscow Armistice of 1944 — that ceded about 10% of the country to the Soviets. Asked by the national newspaper Ilta-Sanomat last month to name the biggest threat to the country, 74% of respondents said Russia — up from 15% last year. The question for lawmakers is whether the risks of not joining are greater than the risks of doing so.
“It may not be dramatic to most people outside Finland, but in Finnish politics to say that Russia is a potential threat and the cause for reevaluating our security policy is quite dramatic,” he said. “It was always obvious, but to say it is quite new.”There are more than 5,000 bomb shelters throughout the capital, Helsinki.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Russia-Ukraine live updates: Russia fires at least 6 missile strikes on Odesa, killing 5Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will visit Ukraine on Sunday.
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine war live updates: Blinken says Russia failing in war aims, ‘Ukraine is succeeding’U.S. diplomats will return to the western city of Lviv, a first step toward reopening the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv.
Read more »
Why Russia keeps losing armored vehicles: 'It's finders keepers'As Ukraine attempts to evacuate civilians from Mariupol, including some who remain trapped inside a steel plant, Russian forces have claimed victory in the city.
Read more »
Ukraine says Russia has resumed attempts to storm Mariupol steel plant to 'strangle resistance'A Ukrainian official on Saturday said Russia had resumed its attempts to storm the resistance stronghold under the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol where thousands of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers remain holed up.
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine live updates: Top US officials Blinken, Austin to visit UkraineRussian forces fired at least 6 cruise missiles at the Black Sea port city of Odesa, an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister said on Telegram. Five citizens were killed, including one 3-month-old baby, said the head of the president's office.
Read more »
Japan, Russia settle salmon quota amid tensions over UkraineJapan and Russia have reached an agreement over Tokyo’s annual catch quota for Russian-born salmon and trout, the Japanese Fisheries Agency said, despite delays and chilled relations between the two sides amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Read more »