Ukraine-Russia war LIVE – Monster Putin faces ultimate nightmare scenario as Nato boosted by a MILLION extra troops

VLADIMIR Putin faces a nightmare scenario after Finland & Sweden formally applied to join Nato, which could see its forces expand by a million troops. Finland and Sweden submitted their highly anticipated bids to join NATO, sealing their decision to jettison decades of military non-alignment, despite threats of reprisals from Moscow. “The applications you have made today are a historic step,” chief Jens Stoltenberg said. “Allies will now consider the next steps on your path to NATO,” The membership push could represent the most significant expansion of NATO in decades, doubling its border with Russia – with Putin warning it may trigger a response from Moscow. But the applications face resistance from NATO member Turkey, which has threatened to block their membership over accusations the Nordic neighbours act as safe havens for armed groups opposed to Ankara. Stoltenberg added: “The security interests of all allies have to be taken into account and we are determined to work through all issues and reach rapid conclusions.” Follow our Russia-Ukraine live blog below for up-to-the-minute updates…