Vladimir Putin adds four countries to 'invasion list', Ukraine's Zelensky warns

11 January 2024 , 08:15

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Putin ominously warned of "problems" with Finland after it announced plans to join NATO (Image: Getty Images)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a stark warning that several European countries could "be next" on Vladimir Putin's hit list.

During a press conference, he named Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Moldova as potential targets, stating: "Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova may be next. And it is certain if we do not withstand." Zelensky, who is currently touring the Baltic states, thanked Lithuania for its generous military aid package to Ukraine worth £172million. He also noted that Russia has been making threats towards other nations, saying: "We have heard recently that they have started talking about Finland, they have started talking about the independence of Uzbekistan, and so on. He [Putin] will not finish this until we collectively finish him."

In December, Putin ominously warned of "problems" with Finland after it announced plans to join NATO in 2023. He said: "They [the West] took Finland and dragged it into NATO! Why, did we have any disputes with Finland? All disputes, including those of a territorial nature in the middle of the 20th century, have all been resolved long ago.

"There were no problems, but now there will be because we will now create the Leningrad military district there and definitely concentrate military units there." Finland joined NATO last year, and Sweden might follow after Russia's actions in Ukraine made them concerned about hostilities.

Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky (Getty Images)

Zelensky said Ukraine still must bolster its air defences against Russia’s intensified missile and drone onslaughts and replenish its ammunition supplies as long-range strikes become the main feature of this winter’s fighting. A Russian S-300 missile hit a hotel in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, late Wednesday, injuring 11 people including a Turkish journalist, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said. The city has been attacked for four consecutive nights, the governor said.

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"We lack modern air defence systems badly", Zelenskyy said in Vilnius, noting that they are "what we need the most." He acknowledged, however, that stockpiles are low in countries that could provide such material. "Warehouses are empty. And there are many challenges to world defence", he said. Ukraine hopes to accelerate the development of its domestic defence industry and establish joint projects with foreign governments to speed up ammunition and weapons production.

Ukrainian officials travelling with Zelenskyy signed several documents on cooperation on joint arms production. Similar agreements are expected in the other Baltic countries. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said Lithuania will send ammunition, generators and detonation systems to Ukraine this month, and will provide armoured personnel carriers in February. It has approved 200 million euros ($219 million) in support for Kyiv, he said.

Zelenskyy said on his official Telegram channel that the focus of his two-day trip to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia is security concerns, Ukraine’s hopes to join the European Union and NATO and build partnerships in drone production and electronic warfare capacities. Zelenskyy thanked Lithuania for its military assistance and goodwill.

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Rachel Hagan