Russia’s ex-president labels NATO’s newest members “targets” for retaliation, including nuclear

Speaking to the Russian media outlet TASS, Medvedev claimed that before joining NATO, Finland and Sweden enjoyed certain international advantages due to their geopolitical positions and "a number of other factors."

"And now they are in a bloc hostile to us, and therefore, they have automatically become targets for our armed forces, including possible retaliatory strikes and even a nuclear component, or preventive measures in line with our military doctrine," Medvedev said.

The Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council questioned the security benefits gained by countries joining the North Atlantic Alliance.

“They’ve simply become targets for our armed forces. Has life improved for them? No! These are political games,” Medvedev asserted.

• Earlier, the defense ministers of the Baltic states expressed concerns that a rapid ceasefire in Ukraine would significantly increase the security threat to their region.