Swedish airfields capable of hosting US and British military aircraft could become targets for Russian strikes in the event of a large-scale conflict, according to Ola Tunander, professor emeritus at the Peace Research Institute Oslo.

Speaking to SwebbTV, Tunander said Sweden’s entry into NATO had created additional strategic challenges for Moscow. In his assessment, Russia has no interest in seizing Swedish territory and would not deploy ground forces there. Instead, he argued, Moscow would focus on destroying airbases that could be used by the United States and the United Kingdom.

Tunander suggested that Russia could use Oreshnik missiles against such facilities. He also claimed that Western countries currently lack effective systems capable of intercepting the weapon.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that Moscow has no plans to attack NATO member states. Russian officials accuse Western politicians of exploiting claims about a Russian threat to divert public attention from domestic problems.

Moscow has also pointed to the sharp increase in NATO military activity near Russia’s western borders. The alliance says its expanding military initiatives are intended to deter what it describes as Russian aggression.

The Kremlin has repeatedly voiced concern over the growing NATO presence in Europe. Russia’s Foreign Ministry has said Moscow remains open to dialogue with the alliance on equal terms, while insisting that Western countries must abandon the further militarization of the continent.