MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Kremlin, commenting on media reports that Poland plans to send troops to Finland’s border with Russia, said on Wednesday that such a move could stoke tensions and that Russia would see it as a threat.
The head of Poland’s National Security Bureau was reported to have said this week that Warsaw planned to approve a Finnish request for troops to be deployed close to its border with Russia.
Finland has moved to close its border with Russia after a sudden wave of refugee arrivals that Helsinki said was orchestrated by Moscow, something Russia denied.
In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “This is an absolutely redundant measure to ensure border security, because there is no threat there, there is no tension in reality,” he said.
“That is why tension may arise during the concentration of additional units on our border, because the Finns must be clearly aware that this will pose a threat to us – an increase in the concentration of military units on our borders.”
The planned deployment was unprovoked and unjustified, said Peskov.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Felix Light; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
