The Facts
Former Russian president and current deputy chairman of the nation's Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, has threatened to bolster Russia's troop presence and send nuclear weapons to the Baltic Sea if Sweden and Finland join NATO.
Medvedev said on Telegram that "balance must be restored" before there can be any talk of any nuclear-free status for the Baltic.
The Spin
Anti-Russia narrative
This is an empty threat, given Russia already has nuclear weapons deployed in Kaliningrad. As sovereign states, Sweden and Finland are entitled to choose their own national security strategy, and Russia's aggressiveness towards them only pushes them toward NATO.
Pro-Russia narrative
Finland invaded Russia in 1941 together with German troops. NATO's land borders with the Russian Federation will more than double if Sweden and Finland join the alliance. It goes without saying that Russia will have to strengthen its border. Moscow's concerns are legitimate as the encirclement of Russia by the powerful alliance poses a direct threat to its security.
