zlacker

That's not entirely correct. NATO is not a threat in Putin's eyes.

What they want is the gas that was going to be produced in Ukraine in 2013, a year before they invaded. They also took resource rich areas.

The proof for this is easy. Russia clearly stated they have no problem with Finland joining NATO. A border of 1340 km and Finland has one of the strongest army's in Europe.

https://www.politico.eu/article/putin-russia-no-problem-finl...

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/what-can-finlands-armed...

What he originally wanted to keep, is resource dominance over Europe ( eg. Gas) as leverage.

And that's why a half a million Russians are dead.

>>NicoJu+(OP)
> Russia clearly stated they have no problem with Finland joining NATO.

Nah, before Finland (and Sweden) joined they issued multiple threats.

>>lawn+ki
That's what they always do.

Here's what they did when they actually joined: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/what-can-finlands-armed...

( As mentioned before)

>>NicoJu+GI
That's just trying to save face because their empty threats were called.

Treating anything Russia says as proof of their intentions is pure ignorance given their long track record of empty threats, lies and flip-flopping.