The Finnish envoy to NATO says there is no irregular activity from Russia against his country.
Finland, which is preparing a formal application to join NATO, doesn't see any direct military threats from Russia at the moment, according to the Nordic nation's ambassador to the US-led military alliance.
Klaus Korhonen told CNN on Thursday that Helsinki only expects potential cyber harassment or disinformation campaigns from Moscow.
The envoy claimed that Russia has targeted Finland with such activities in the past and they are nothing new. After a joint statement on Thursday, President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin said that the country must apply for NATO membership without delay. The leaders said they will formally announce a decision on Sunday and forward it to the Finnish parliament for approval.
Korhonen said that despite the fact that Finland stayed out of NATO during the Cold War, it has had to reconsider its position due to a very drastic change in our security environment after the Russian military operation in Ukraine.
Finland, which shares a 1,340 km 833 mile land border with Russia, already boasts strong national defense and joining the alliance would make the country's protection more effective, he said.
We have a strong defense, we have a very capable border guard, and I think right now we are awake, so I think the border is very secure, the envoy added.
Speaking on Thursday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Finland's NATO membership would absolutely be a threat to Russia and that further expansion of the US-led alliance isn't making our continent more stable and secure. Russia is already working on measures to strengthen our western flanks in connection with the strengthening of NATO's eastern flanks, Peskov said.
The Finnish ambassador to NATO played down speculation that the events in Ukraine could trigger a nuclear war. Korhonen said that we are very far away from any nuclear situation.
Finland's neighbor Sweden is considering a membership bid for NATO, and could send its application on Monday, according to local media reports.