Vladimir Putin has stated that Russia has no problem with Finland and Sweden. Still, he has warned that Moscow will respond to the construction of military infrastructure on their territories as both nations move closer to NATO membership.

At a Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) session in Moscow, he stated that Russia must seriously examine the US-led military alliance's aspirations to expand its worldwide influence.

Finland and Sweden have declared that they will apply to join NATO, despite Russia's warnings that doing so would be a "mistake."

Finland shares a land border of 1,300 kilometers with Russia and a marine border with Sweden.

For decades, both nations have believed that joining NATO would be an unwarranted provocation of Moscow.

Nonetheless, the policy shift results from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Mr. Putin stated that the United States was using the NATO expansion in an "aggressive" manner to exacerbate an already precarious global security situation.

The Russian leader stated that the extension of NATO to include these countries posed no direct threat but that the expansion of military facilities into this territory would undoubtedly elicit a response.

"What that (response) will be - we'll see what threats are created for us," Putin said, adding, "Problems are being manufactured for no reason." We will respond appropriately."

Demand that the Russia-led CSTO military alliance unite.

Meanwhile, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko urged fellow CSTO members to remain united and accused the West of seeking to prolong the conflict in Ukraine to damage Russia to the greatest extent possible.

Also, speaking at the Moscow conference, he stated that "hellish sanctions" against his country and Russia could have been avoided if the group had spoken with a unified voice.

Mr. Lukashenko stated in his opening remarks to Mr. Putin and the leaders of Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, "Without a united front, the collective West will build up pressure on the post-Soviet space,"

The Ukrainian army has "reached the Russian border."

After forcing the invading forces back, Ukraine claims that its troops defending Kharkiv have approached the Russian border.

It follows the publication of a video by Ukraine's defense ministry purporting to show the arrival of Ukrainian forces at the border separating the two countries.

It was reported that the 227th Battalion of the 127th Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine had crossed the border.

However, it is unknown how many individuals reached the border and where they did so.

The northeastern Ukrainian city is located approximately 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Russian border and has experienced weeks of intense Russian bombing.