Finland Tuesday, dealing a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a historic realignment of Europe害羞草研究所檚 post-Cold War security landscape triggered by Moscow害羞草研究所檚 invasion of Ukraine.

The Nordic country害羞草研究所檚 membership doubles Russia害羞草研究所檚 border with the world害羞草研究所檚 biggest security alliance. Finland had adopted neutrality after its defeat by the Soviets in World War II, but its leaders signaled they wanted to join NATO just months after Moscow害羞草研究所檚 invasion of Ukraine sent a shiver of fear through its neighbors.

The move is a strategic and political setback for Putin, who has long complained about NATO害羞草研究所檚 expansion toward Russia and partly used that as a justification for the invasion.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 tempted to say this is maybe the one thing that we can thank Mr. Putin for because he once again here precipitated something he claims to want to prevent by Russia害羞草研究所檚 aggression, causing many countries to believe that they have to do more to look out for their own defense and to make sure that they can deter possible Russian aggression going forward,害羞草研究所� U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said before accepting the documents that made Finland害羞草研究所檚 membership official.

The U.S. State Department is the repository of NATO texts concerning membership.

Russia warned it would be forced to take 害羞草研究所渞etaliatory measures害羞草研究所� to address what it called security threats created by Finland害羞草研究所檚 membership. It had also warned it would bolster forces near Finland if NATO sends any additional troops or equipment to what is its 31st member country.

The alliance says it poses no threat to Moscow.

Alarmed by , Finland, which shares a 1,340 kilometer (832 mile) border with Russia, applied to join in May, setting aside years of military nonalignment to seek protection under the organization害羞草研究所檚 security umbrella.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a great day for Finland and an important day for NATO, too,害羞草研究所� said Finnish President Sauli Niinisto. 害羞草研究所淩ussia tried to create a sphere around them and, well, we are not a sphere. I害羞草研究所檓 sure that Finns themselves feel more secure, that we are living in a more stable world.害羞草研究所�

Neighboring Sweden, which has avoided military alliances for more than 200 years, has also applied. But objections from NATO members Turkey and Hungary have delayed the process.

Niinisto said Finland害羞草研究所檚 membership 害羞草研究所渋s not complete without that of Sweden. The persistent efforts for a rapid Swedish membership continue.害羞草研究所�

Earlier, Russia害羞草研究所檚 Foreign Ministry said Moscow 害羞草研究所渨ill be forced to take military-technical and other retaliatory measures to counter the threats to our national security arising from Finland害羞草研究所檚 accession to NATO.害羞草研究所�

It said Finland害羞草研究所檚 move marks 害羞草研究所渁 fundamental change in the situation in Northern Europe, which had previously been one of the most stable regions in the world.害羞草研究所�

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Finland害羞草研究所檚 membership reflects the alliance害羞草研究所檚 anti-Russian course and warned that Moscow will respond depending on what weapons NATO allies place there. But he also sought to play down the impact, noting that Russia has no territorial disputes with Finland.

It害羞草研究所檚 not clear what additional military resources Russia could send to the Finnish border. Moscow has deployed the bulk of its most capable military units to Ukraine.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said no more troops would be sent to Finland unless it asked for help.

The country is now protected by what Stoltenberg called NATO害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渋ron-clad security guarantee,害羞草研究所� under which all member countries vow to come to the defense of any ally that comes under attack.

But Stoltenberg refused to rule out the possibility of holding more military exercises there and said that NATO would not allow Russia害羞草研究所檚 demands to dictate the organization害羞草研究所檚 decisions.

害羞草研究所淲e are constantly assessing our posture, our presence. We have more exercises, we have more presence, also in the Nordic area,害羞草研究所� he said.

Finland害羞草研究所檚 Parliament, meanwhile, said its website was hit with a so-called denial-of-service attack, which made the site hard to use, with many pages not loading and some functions not available.

A pro-Russian hacker group known as NoName057 (16) claimed responsibility, saying the attack was retaliation for Finland joining NATO. The claim could not be immediately verified.

The hacker group, which has reportedly acted on Moscow害羞草研究所檚 orders, has taken party in a slew of cyberattacks on the U.S. and its allies in the past. Finnish public broadcaster YLE said the same group hit the Parliament害羞草研究所檚 site last year.

Finland害羞草研究所檚 entry, marked with a flag-raising ceremony at NATO headquarters, falls on the organization害羞草研究所檚 very own birthday, the 74th anniversary of the signing of its founding Washington Treaty on April 4, 1949. It also coincides with a meeting of the alliance害羞草研究所檚 foreign ministers.

害羞草研究所擫orne Cook And Matthew Lee, The Associated Press

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