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"If Sweden decides to join NATO, we will not think that the Swedes will move to attack us. This I can say straight away," Lavrov said, according to Dagens Nyheter.

"But as the Swedish military infrastructure in that situation would fall under the High Command of NATO, then, of course, we will have to take the necessary military and technical measures on our northern borders, given the fact that on the other side of the border, there will be a military-political bloc, which considers Russia a threat and wants to deter it in every possible way," said Russia’s top diplomat.

Read alsoNATO to set up 40,000-strong rapid response spearhead forces at its eastern bordersThe Russian foreign minister did not specify the steps Russia can resort to, saying that this is up to the military – the Defense Ministry and the General Staff of Russia.

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Read alsoThe Local: Russia carried out practice nuclear strike against Sweden"It's one thing when you've got neutral states among your neighbors in the North, and another thing when they are NATO member states, which, once again, we see as reality, but over the last period it [NATO] clearly proclaims its goal to deter Russia, calling it a major threat," said Lavrov.