Russia Warns NATO’s Newest Members Are Now Military Targets

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned that nations joining NATO are now military targets for Russia, potentially subject to nuclear retaliation under Moscow’s defense doctrine, according to a report by state media outlet RIA Novosti on April 29.

Speaking during the state-sponsored “Knowledge. First” educational event, Medvedev—now deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council—claimed that NATO’s expansion has reduced, rather than enhanced, the security of its new members.

“There is not a single country whose security has improved after joining NATO,” Medvedev said.

Just look at Poland, the Baltics, Finland, and Sweden. They are now part of a bloc hostile to us, and that means they automatically become targets for our armed forces—including possible retaliatory strikes, even nuclear ones, or preventive action under our military doctrine.

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“What kind of security did they get? None. They’ve just been added to the target list of our military forces. Is their life better now? No,” he added.

The remarks come as Sweden and Finland formally complete their accession to NATO, ending decades of military nonalignment following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Their entry expands NATO’s direct border with Russia.

Medvedev, who has adopted increasingly aggressive rhetoric toward the West in recent years, has frequently warned of escalation risks, particularly regarding NATO’s eastern flank.

Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the strategic importance of the Arctic during remarks on April 29, asserting that geopolitical competition in the region is intensifying.

Putin accused NATO countries of viewing the Arctic as a future conflict zone and vowed that Russia would bolster its military presence in the Far North.

“We do not threaten anyone in the Arctic, but we are monitoring the situation and will not allow any encroachments on our sovereignty,” Putin said.