The Director of Swedish Military and Foreign Intelligence, Lieutenant General Thomas Nilsson, said in an interview with "Bloomberg" that Russia will likely continue to pose a threat to neighboring countries long after President Vladimir Putin's rule ends, BTA reported.
"We do not perceive this crisis as temporary; Russia has chosen its path and there is no turning back. We are in a deep, structural and long-term strategic confrontation - we cannot just wish it away," Nilsson said.
According to him, the threat that Russia poses to neighboring countries will continue to exist even after Putin's rule ends.
Recently, Scandinavian national television stations reported satellite images showing Moscow expanding its military presence near NATO's eastern flank.
However, Russian authorities claim that the military infrastructure is "defensive in nature."
Nilsson said that Russia plans to create larger and better-organized military forces "from the north of Finland all the way to the south," but noted that "for now these are mostly just plans" as Moscow continues to prioritize the war in Ukraine.
"Our assessment "The bottom line is that as soon as Russia regains the necessary resources and capabilities, it will try to implement these plans," he said.
Putin has repeatedly criticized Sweden and Finland's accession to NATO in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and warned that Moscow would deploy troops in retaliation.