Putin’s Defense Minister ‘Vows’ to Send More Troops Near Nordic Borders, Is This a Preparation for NATO War?

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has promised to send more troops near Nordic countries.

According to Shoigu, five marine corps divisions will be formed from the Navy’s coastal troops, which already have marine brigades. The 61st Naval Infantry Brigade, located near the border with Norway and Finland in Pechenga, has contributed soldiers to Syria and Ukraine.

The Defence Minister of Russia says that ‘retaliatory measures are required’ because Finland and Sweden have joined NATO.

President Vladimir Putin met with senior military officials on Wednesday and was briefed on the issues concerning the armed forces. As a result, according to Shoigu, new military bases will be established in the west.

Shoigu added that in light of NATO’s desire to build up military force near Russia’s borders and to expand the North Atlantic Treaty Organization at Finland and Sweden’s expense, retaliatory measures are needed to assemble the correct number of troops in Northwestern Russia.

It was reported that thousands of soldiers from the Kola Peninsula were sent to the battlefields, and hundreds were killed. The 200th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Northern Fleet lost a lot of men during the first weeks of last winter’s war in particular.

With that, an army corps would be formed in Karelia. The 200th Motorized Rifle Brigade in Pechenga and the 80th Motorized Rifle Brigade in Alakurtti will be part of a larger motorized rifle division situated in the northern regions. Military districts in the West, the Centre, and the East will also have such divisions.

The Kola Peninsula’s 200th and 80th brigades are part of the Northern Fleet military district, which covers the northern areas and the waters along the Northern Sea Route. The brigades specialize in Arctic warfare and are armed with weapons and vehicles for harsh winter conditions.

The Russian coastal troops of the Navy will be formed into five marine corps divisions, according to Shoigu. In addition to its marine brigades, the brigade near the Norway and Finland borders has contributed soldiers both to Syria and Ukraine.

Sergei Shoigu is the current Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation. He has held this position since 2012 and is one of the longest-serving members of President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle. Before assuming his post in the Ministry of Defense, Shoigu served for 17 years as Governor of Moscow Oblast, a region bordering on the capital city. Shoigu was born in 1951 in a village near Buryatia, Siberia. 

His record earned him widespread respect within Russia’s security apparatus and allowed him to consolidate power within the Ministry of Defense when he assumed control over it in 2012. 

Putin’s Official Announcement 

“The country, the Government give everything that the army asks for, everything. I hope that the answer will be properly formulated and the corresponding results will be achieved,” said Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

President Vladimir Putin said that Russia has “no funding restrictions” as Shoigu presented plans to boost the country’s army from one million to 1.5 million troops.

The President also expressed his hope that the answer would be appropriately formulated and the desired results achieved, saying the country and Government gave the army everything it requested.

Meanwhile, Putin acknowledged that the Sept. 21 partial mobilization revealed specific problems but assured that the necessary measures were taken. In addition to better communication between local and regional authorities, weapons will be supplied to mobilized personnel.

According to the Barents Observer’s Russian version, there needs to be more of everything; food, uniforms, weapons, radio communication, and morale on the battlefield.

At the end of his speech, Vladimir Putin thanked civilians for providing extra equipment, warm clothing, and gifts for the troops in the battle lines.

“Even if the Ministry of Defense provides everything necessary in some segments, we send a big thank you to people for this respec.”

Western officials put the death toll at more than 100,000, while Russia has acknowledged only 5,937 military casualties in Ukraine.

NATO-Russia War? 

The relationship between Russia and NATO has been strained in recent years, with tensions escalating over the conflict in Ukraine and other international events. As a result, many analysts fear that a full-scale war between Russia and NATO is becoming increasingly likely. But what exactly would such a war look like, and who would benefit from it? 

Firstly, it is vital to consider the consequences of a potential conflict between Russia and NATO. With two of the world’s largest military forces clashing together in Europe, there would undoubtedly be significant casualties on both sides. In addition to direct losses, economic downturns could be caused by disruption to trade routes and energy supplies. This could have further negative implications for economies around the world. It is also essential to consider who would gain from a potential war. Clearly, no one would directly benefit from such devastation, but certain countries may find themselves in advantageous positions if a conflict were to arise. For example, some analysts believe that China could exploit the chaos created by a Russia-NATO war to further strengthen its position in global politics and economics. 

Finally, we must ask ourselves whether such a conflict can be avoided at all costs or whether all diplomatic efforts are doomed to fail in their attempts to ease tensions between these two power blocs. Indeed, diplomacy has thus far failed to conclusively resolve several issues surrounding this conflict, but ultimately it should remain an option rather than being disregarded altogether. Although the prospect of a war between Russia and NATO is worrying for many people worldwide, there is still hope that peace can be achieved through diplomatic negotiations to avoid further bloodshed or economic fallout. 

All parties involved must make use of every possible solution before reaching out for more extreme measures such as deploying military forces against each other in order to avert any kind of armed conflict between them.