Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on Friday that Russia will form 12 new military units in its Western Military District in response to the strengthening NATO presence near Russia's borders.

He warned that the entry of Finland and Sweden into NATO would continue to fuel tensions in the region, especially given the fact that U.S. bomber flights in Europe have increased significantly over the past few years, as has the presence of U.S. warships in the Baltic Sea.