Russia threatens “techno-military” retaliation after Sweden joins NATO

Russia said on Wednesday that it would accept Military-technical countermeasures and other unspecified types of protection against Sweden's entry into NATO, which he described as aggressive and wrong.

Last Monday, Sweden lifted the final hurdle to joining NATO after the Hungarian parliament approved the traditionally neutral Nordic country's accession.

Sweden and Finland did NATO's bidding after Russia sent tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine in 2022, sparking the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II, a war that continues two years later.

“We will follow closely what Sweden will do in the occupation military camp and how it will practically carry out its approach (…) Based on this, we will formulate our response. Retaliatory measures of a techno-military and other nature”said Maria ZakharovaSpokesperson of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Sweden's entry into NATO is accompanied by a continuous increase in anti-Russian sentiment in the country, which, unfortunately, is encouraged by the Swedish political and military leadership, but whose main source is abroad. It is not the Swedes who make the decision; “the decision is made by the Swedes,” he said.

The Russian spokesman added that Sweden's entry into NATO would fuel tensions and militarization.

The Russian embassy in Stockholm, for its part, spoke on its account on Tuesday telegram Unspecified military and technical countermeasures depending on the size of NATO troops and materials inside Sweden.

Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf ChristersonRussia said the comments were not surprising and indicated that his country was not alarmed.

“That's what they said when Finland joined NATO”The news agency quoted DD for Kristersson on Wednesday during a trip to the southern Swedish town of Trollhattan. “It is well known that Russia does not want Sweden or Finland to be members of NATO, but we make our own decisions.”

He said Sweden was “on alert” to deal with any response from Russia. “We are well prepared and we see what they are doing,” he said.

NATO Secretary General Jens StoltenbergOn Monday, Sweden pledged to make the transatlantic system stronger and safer.

Turkey and Hungary finally gave the green light to Finnish entry last spring, but delayed Swedish entry due to Sweden's alleged complicity with Kurdish terrorism in the case of Ankara; and by Stockholm's criticism of the government's legal reforms Victor Orbanin another.

The Turkish parliament finally approved Sweden's entry on January 23, the same day Orban Kristerson was formally invited to Budapest by letter to discuss that and other issues.

The meeting between Orban and Kristersson took place last Friday after the Hungarian president announced that the parliamentary vote would take place today.

(With information from Reuters and EFE)