Russia says it will strengthen Finland border with Ukraine

The Finnish-Russian border crossing Imatra is pictured on May 13, 2022 in Imatra, south-eastern Finland. ALESSANDRO RAMPAZZO AFP MOSCOW KYIV Russia said Sunday it will strengthen its border with Finland if NATO's strikes are deployed in Finland.

Viktor Bondarev, chairman of the Defense and Security Committee of the Federation Council, said on Telegram that NATO deploys offensive, striking weapons in Finland, in close proximity to us, will strengthen our border and increase the presence of Russian troops on the border.

He said that Finland's intention to join NATO was disturbing in a geopolitical sense.

NATO expects Turkey not to hold up membership of Finland, Sweden.

The Foreign Policy Committee of Finland made an official decision to start the process of the country's application for NATO membership hours after the country's president and foreign policy committee made a decision.

Four Russian rockets hit a military infrastructure facility in Ukraine's western Lviv region early on Monday, said Maksym Kozytsky, head of the regional military-civilian administration in Lviv.

Kozytsky said on Telegram that the facility is completely destroyed, but he didn't give any details.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Sunday that he had discussed military aid for Kyiv and global food security with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Kuleba tweeted after the talks in Berlin that more weapons and other aid is on the way to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian parliament chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk said that Ukraine will not compromise on the issue of territorial integrity in a possible peace deal with Russia, according to the government-run Ukrinform news agency.

The issue of territorial integrity should not be included in the agreement. Stefanchuk said that Crimea and Donbass are Ukraine.