MOSCOW: if NATO's striking weapons are deployed in Finland, despite Findalan's determination to join the military alliance, Russia will tighten its border with the country (Findland), a top official said in Moscow.

"If NATO puts offensive, striking weaponry in Finland, near to us, we will secure our border and expand the presence of Russian troops on the border," Viktor Bondarev, chairman of the Federation Council's Defence and Security Committee, said late Sunday, according to state media report.

In a geopolitical perspective, he labelled Finland's intention to join NATO "disturbing." On Sunday, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and the government's foreign policy committee made an official decision to begin the country's NATO membership application process.

President Niinisto, speaking at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Sanna Marin, called the day historic, describing it as the beginning of a new era. He stated that Finnish security is not a "zero-sum game" and that it is not targeted at anyone.

Niinisto told Russian President Vladimir Putin of Finland's decision to seek NATO membership in the coming days in a phone call initiated by Helsinki on Saturday.

In response, Putin "emphasised that abandoning the established policy of military neutrality would be a mistake," adding that "there are no threats to Finland's security," and that it may harm Moscow-Helsinki relations.

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