First Published May 18, 2022, 2:42 PM IST
FeThe main reason for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine on February 24 was that Ukraine was seeking to be part of a US – led NATO military alliance. Under the guise of this, Putin justified his invasion of Ukraine by saying that the Ukrainian regime was in the hands of the neo-Nazis and that their only military action was to liberate the Ukrainian regime from the neo-Nazis. With just three months to go before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the world is worried about Russia’s opening a new front in Europe’s northeastern region. There are also fears that Russia’s war move could lead the world back to military power between nations. Finland and Sweden have begun seeking NATO membership following Russia’s escalation of the Ukraine invasion.
Finland Prime Minister Sanna Marin
Europe is a land that has witnessed two major world wars. World War II ended with Hitler’s suicide. By then, however, the two major nations that had fought together had turned into opposing factions in the name of political ideology.
Russian President Vladimir Putin
As the US-led capitalist powers advanced with the NATO military alliance, the USSR-led countries that had elevated Soviet politics were organized on the other side. While both the slums competed for the world market, very few countries, including India, under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, adopted the non-slum policy.
Finland President Sauli Niinisto
The political defeat of the USSR and the subsequent fall of Russia eroded the relevance of the Soviet military alliance. With this, the Cold War that existed in the world till then came to an end. However, with the fall of the USSR and the loss of its military rival, the US was reluctant to disband its military ally, NATO.
After World War II, the world entered a new world order. Many important countries in Europe became part of the US military alliance NATO. Many of the countries that shared borders with Russia while still being a European country tried at the time to join NATO, but were forced by Russia to refrain from applying.
At that time, Russia assured its neighbors that they would not attack each other. Gradually, however, significant changes took place in the course of world politics. In the wake of this, Ukrainian President Vladimir Selensky has agreed to apply for NATO membership, challenging the impeachment of the Russian dictator.
Russia has repeatedly warned Ukraine against doing so, but Ukraine has said it is a sovereign state and can make its own decisions. Following this, by the end of November 2021, news began to come out of the US intelligence that Russia was planning a military operation against Ukraine.
Finally, on February 24, 2022, Russian armored vehicles from the north and south via Belarus, Russia’s ally, began their offensive against the Ukrainian capital, Kiev. But things did not go as Russia had hoped.
Ukraine had already trained guerrillas to confront Russia, the world’s second-largest military power. In addition to the troops, many of Russia’s military operations failed miserably as civilians began to take up arms. At the same time, the latest military weapons from the European Union and NATO allies flowed freely into Ukraine.
After a month-and-a-half military operation against the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, Russia’s most prominent forces were unable to capture any of Ukraine’s top ten cities. Following this, the Russian army declared that Kiev was not their target and withdrew from the northwestern part of Ukraine.
Within days, Russia had deployed all its troops on the battlefield in northwestern Ukraine to the southeastern part of Ukraine, intensifying fighting in the rebel-held Donbos region. Heavy attacks took place along the Black Sea coast and eastern border of Ukraine.
The Azov battalion fought hard for about 82 days and kept the Russian army at bay. However, Ukraine has announced its withdrawal from Mariupol to save the lives of civilians and wounded soldiers who have sought refuge at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol.
At the same time, Finland and Sweden, which are in a security crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, began talks to join the NATO military alliance. Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine changed the minds of both countries.
Russia’s response came shortly after news broke that Finland and Sweden would apply to NATO. Putin’s response was that any such move would lead to the future. However, Finland and Sweden are determined to stick to their decision and move forward with NATO membership.
Finland shares a 1300 km border with Russia. Russia has sent Iskander missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads to the Finnish border after Finland announced its decision to join the NATO military alliance. More than a dozen Russian military vehicles were moving towards the Russia-Finland border.
Archyde.com reported sharing the video of the military move to the Russian city of Vyborg on the Finnish border. An unidentified person in the video says that Russia is going to form a new military unit in Vyborg or any other border region. Russia is believed to have already deployed short-range ballistic missiles on the Finnish border.
Newsweek reported that the short-range ballistic missiles thus deployed were capable of carrying nuclear warheads. A senior U.S. Air Force official who deals with nuclear weapons says the U.S. intelligence community sees Iskander as the most serious threat.
The video comes days after one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies warned NATO that Russia would deploy nuclear weapons and hypersonic missiles on its border.
Last month, Russia’s Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev warned that if Sweden and Finland join the US – led military alliance, Russia will deploy nuclear and hypersonic missiles on the border to strengthen its defense against the Baltic Sea.
Meanwhile, Finland and Russia have begun a diplomatic war. Russia expels two Finnish embassy staff after Finland fired two Russian diplomats Russia has accused Finland of taking the path of confrontation with Russia. This is not a direct threat to us. But developing military infrastructure in these areas will certainly provoke our reaction, “Putin said.
Russia has said it will suffer the consequences of joining NATO, and said it would wipe Finland off the face of the earth “within ten seconds”. Russia, the world’s second-largest military power at the time of the Ukraine invasion, is expected to overtake 22nd-ranked Ukraine in a matter of days.
But when President Selensky led the war from the front as the spearhead of the country’s defense, even after three months of war, Russia was only able to conquer Mariupol, the only major city in Ukraine. The incessant flow of weapons from NATO allies helped Ukraine to actively defend Russia.
War experts estimate that Russia’s Finland is tougher than Ukraine, citing the heroic fighting of Finnish troops during World War II. Moreover, the presence of Russian-speakers and a strong espionage system are considered Finnish possessions.
Finland has a tougher battlefield than Ukraine’s vast and open arenas. In this country, which has dense forests, lakes and the southern archipelago, it is almost impossible for outsiders to fight and win. Moreover, the foreign media reports that the Finnish troops are very capable of fighting in their complex territory.