Kremlin: US-Finland Defence Co-op Agreement Will Raise Tensions

The Kremlin has warned that the signing of a Defence Cooperation Agreementbetween Finland and the United States 'Will lead to tensions between Russia and Finland', and that 'NATO troop entry into Finland will pose a threat'.

• The agreement will be signed by representatives of Finland and the US on 18 Dec, with the deal allowing the US military wide access to the Nordic nation that possesses an 833mi (1,340km) border with Russia.
• Reuters: "The agreement lists 15 facilities and areas in Finland to which the U.S. military will have unimpeded access[...] Finland will not allow storage or transport of nuclear and biological weapons or anti-personnel mines on its territory [...] The U.S. military can have a permanent presence and regular exercises in Finland, but there are no plans for permanent bases, they said."
• The Kremlin's comments on raised tensions come less than 24 hours after the Finnish gov't swiftly closedits border checkpoints with Russia once again after a significant increase in illegal immigration through the two checkpoints that had been re-opened a short time earlier. Finland has accused Moscow of funnelling migrants towards the Finnish border in an effort to sow discord and pose a risk to national security as part of a 'hybrid attack'. The Kremlin denies any culpability.