Russia says it has established a new brigade equipped with the Iskander-M ballistic missile system in the Republic of Karelia, a Russian region which shares an extensive border with Finland.
The move was a response to Finland joining Nato, according to Russian newspaper Izvestia.
"The decision to establish the missile brigade was very timely. This is an adequate response to Finland’s accession to Nato," Admiral Vladimir Valuyev, former commander of Russia's Baltic Fleet, told Izvestia.
The new missile brigade is part of Russia's new Leningrad Military District (LMD), which was established in response to Finland joining Nato.
The Russian paper quoted a military expert, Dmitry Boltenkov, saying that Russia needs to keep an eye on Finland after decades of good neighbourly relations. Boltenkov, however, appeared to be unsure why Finland decided to join the defence alliance.
Finland became a member of Nato on 4 April, 2023.
The Iskander-M is a mobile short-range ballistic missile system. According to global media organisation Newsweek, Iskander-M missiles are capable of firing either conventional or nuclear warheads.
Boltenkov also told the paper that Russia's Iskander-M missile system "performed very well during the special military operation [in Ukraine], so the Finns should know that if something happens, they can also experience such 'joy'".
Boltenkov also told the newspaper that the brigade was needed because of Finland's "good" armed forces and due to the possible presence of American and British troops in Finland.
News about the new brigade was previously reported in Finland by Verkkouutiset.