Sweden's Plans to Create NATO Base on Gotland Island Provocative - Moscow

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Sweden's plans to create a NATO base on the island of Gotland are provocative, the Russian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik.

“The Russian side has repeatedly warned about the risks arising in connection with the military development by the alliance of the territories of the new member countries in the north of Europe. NATO is seeking to increase its military potential in the Baltic. In this context, Stockholm intends to strengthen the 'strategically important' island of Gotland in order to improve defense against the imaginary 'Russian threat,'" the ministry said.

It said Stockholm restored its military presence on Gotland in 2015, and in April 2023, before joining NATO, Swedish troops practiced efforts to counter an armed attack during military exercises on the island.

“Taking into account Sweden’s plans, we are forced to state that through the efforts of Stockholm and the North Atlantic alliance as a whole, the previously peaceful waters of the Baltic Sea are turning into an arena of geopolitical confrontation. As a result of such provocative activity, new threats are created to the safety of navigation and economic activity in the region," the ministry said.

It said Russia is carefully monitoring the developments and assessing potential risks.

“To stop threats in the northern direction, the Leningrad Military District has been re-established... Further decisions to ensure Russia’s security will be made depending on the development of the situation,” the ministry said.