They responded because Russia invaded Ukraine. If Russia hadn't done that, nobody would be applying to NATO.
Despite years of Russia violating airspace, territorial waters or other provocations(there is a famous russisn submarine violating Swedish waters recently) they were content in staying outside the alliance, but with Ukraine they saw that an alliance was needed. In fact support to join NATO increased among the Finns and Swedes when the war began.
They did, but the world wasn't paying attention, and thought Russia would have stayed there. Plus the forces they used were minimal in comparison to this one.
Not quite.
They responded because Russia invaded Ukraine. If Russia hadn't done that, nobody would be applying to NATO.
Despite years of Russia violating airspace, territorial waters or other provocations(there is a famous russisn submarine violating Swedish waters recently) they were content in staying outside the alliance, but with Ukraine they saw that an alliance was needed. In fact support to join NATO increased among the Finns and Swedes when the war began.
https://www.thelocal.se/20141018/sweden-steps-up-hunt-for-suspected-submarine/
Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 to annex the Crimea.
They did, but the world wasn't paying attention, and thought Russia would have stayed there. Plus the forces they used were minimal in comparison to this one.