Defense Minister Shoigu Says Russia Will Build New Troops on Western Border to Face NATO Threats

JAKARTA - Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Russia would build up troops on the western border of their territory, following Finland's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as well as Sweden's potential joining in the future.

In opening remarks to the Collegium of the Ministry of Defense, Defense Minister Shoigu said NATO member Poland had announced plans to strengthen its military. He also predicts significant NATO troops and arsenal will be deployed in Finland, whose inclusion is almost twice the length of Russia's land border with NATO.

"Western collectivity is waging a proxy war against Russia," Defense Minister Shoigu said according to his ministry, quoted by Reuters, August 10.

It referred to "unprecedented support" for Ukraine in supplying tens of billions of dollars worth of weaponry to help Kyiv repel Russian troops.

Defense Minister Shoigu further called Finland's entry into NATO and Sweden's future entry as "serious destabilizing factors". The two Nordic countries are abandoning generations of neutrality that have lasted during the Cold War, to seek NATO membership following Russia's invasion of Ukraine early last year.

"On Finnish territory, it is likely that an additional military contingent and NATO strike weapons will be deployed, capable of hitting critical targets in northwestern Russia at sufficient depths," said Defense Minister Shoigu.

"Today, at a meeting of the Council, we will consider issues related to the creation of the Leningrad and Moscow military districts, with the simultaneous strengthening of the troop grouping of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on our western borders," he said.

Described by him, Poland had announced its intention to build the most powerful army on the continent, to become "the main instrument of the United States' anti-Russian policy".

Shoigu added that the number of NATO military units from outside the region stationed in eastern Europe had doubled and a half since February last year, with their total now numbering 30,000.

"This threat to Russia's military security requires a timely and adequate response. We will discuss the necessary steps to neutralize it at the meeting and make an appropriate decision," he concluded.