Russia vows to ramp up forces on Finland border and ‘liberate’ it as EU country joins Nato TOMORROW

RUSSIA has vowed to ramp up it forces on the Finnish border to “liberate” the Nordic country, which is set to join Nato tomorrow. The desperate claims come as the West continue to tighten its grip on Vladimir Putin’s failed campaign in Ukraine. EPARussia has vowed to ramp up its forces on the Finnish border[/caption] GettyFinland is set to become a member of Nato tomorrow[/caption] EPARussian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has threatened to send troops close to Finland[/caption] The Kremlin’s grim message is in direct response to Finland’s accension to Nato ranks on Tuesday. The long awaited admission comes after both Finland and Sweden applied to join the alliance almost 12 months ago. It was hampered by a refusal to ratify the application by Hungary and Turkey, both of whom relented last week. The accension is a massive blow for despot Putin because Finland shares an 810 mile border with his country. The move will roughly double the West’s transatlantic frontier facing Moscow. However, in response, Russia has vowed to “strengthen its military potential” along the border. Alexander Grushko, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, told state media Nato’s expansion called for “additional steps” in military security. Grushko said: “In the event that forces and assets of other Nato members are deployed in Finland, we will take additional steps to reliably ensure Russia’s military security.  “We will strengthen our military potential in the western and north-western direction.” The mounting pressure from Nato became the main topic of Russia’s TV program 60 Minutes and was lambasted by pundits. Dmitry Abzalov said the situation involving Finland was a “mess” and “already out of our hands”. Olga Skabeyeva, Russia-1 host, went a step further and claimed the Finnish territorty as “our historical land” and called for Russia to take action over Finland’s looming membership. She said: “We have to liberate the brotherly Finnish people.” It follows last year’s claims that the Kremlin would take “adequate countermeasures” and would send 12 units and divisions to its western military district. Despite the hostile warning, Finland is expected to join the alliance tomorrow – which has been hailed by the Nato chief. Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of Nato, said it would make Finland safer and the collective alliance stronger.  Stoltenberg said: “We will raise the Finnish flag for the first time here at NATO headquarters. “It will be a good day for Finland’s security, for Nordic security and for Nato as a whole.” Finland will become the sixth Nato nation to share a border with Russia, joining Norway, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Poland. The Finnish contribution will add more than 257,000 troops to the combined forces.  GettyNato chief Jens Stoltenberg has praised the accension of Finland[/caption]