MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Military exercises in Finland near Russia’s borders are part of NATO provocations to contain Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Andrey Nastasin said on Wednesday.
«We view the Finnish military maneuvers held from July 21-26 near the Russian state border with the involvement of approximately 1,700 personnel and 300 vehicles as an integral part of NATO’s comprehensive provocative actions to contain Russia, including within the framework of Finland’s continuing accelerated integration into the North Atlantic Alliance,» Nastasin told reporters.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin explained that previously Russia and Finland had no quarrel, however the accession of the Nordic country to NATO changed the game.
«There were no problems, but now [with Finland’s accession to NATO] there will be problems,» the Russian president said.
Putin added that Russia started to create the Leningrad Military District and concentrate certain military units there.
