Russia Puts Finland on Nuclear Target List After Weapons Law Change

Russia said it has added Finland to a list of potential nuclear targets following changes in Finnish law that remove a longstanding ban on hosting or importing nuclear weapons.

Russian officials said the move is a direct reaction to Finland’s legislation, which was framed by Finland as aligning with its NATO membership and deterrence needs. In response, Russia indicated it would take additional “political and military-technical” measures and warned against the consequences of the change for regional security in the Baltic and Arctic areas.

The Finnish legal shift also drew criticism from anti-nuclear groups, who argued the country is becoming more exposed to risk by loosening the Cold War-era restrictions.