Finland and Sweden have officially submitted their applications to join NATO

Finland and Sweden have handed in applications to join NATO.

It ends decades of political neutrality for both nations, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Chief of NATO says the applications are quote an “historic step”.

If their bid is successful, it will bring the alliance’s membership to 32.

While Russia strongly opposes the move, there are also members within NATO’s own ranks voicing their concerns.

Dubbed the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, the NATO alliance was founded in 1949

It follows one rule: an attack on one, is an attack on all.

It sought to counter Russian expansion in Europe after World War Two.

But following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, many of its former Eastern European allies joined the alliance, something that has raised concerns in Moscow.

Finland and Sweden need the support of all member states to join. If they’re successful, it will take the alliance to 32 members.

NATO members must spend 2 per cent of their GDP on defence. Finland already meets this target and Sweden says it will do so “as soon as possible”.

The two countries will also bring a range of military might.

Finland has over 19-thousand active troops, and Sweden has over 14-and-a-half thousand.

There are 220 tanks, and over 200 combat aircraft.

Russia believes NATO has been verging on its door stop and is warning both nations against joining.

Turkey’s President is also voicing concerns, saying the two Scandinavian nations should not send delegations to convince him of their bids.

The Russian government has been slammed for its war in Ukraine by former members of the Kremlin

Russia’s mainstream media outlets offer a view of the Ukraine war that is unlike anything seen from the outside world.

Firstly, they don’t even call it a war – instead they call it a special military operation.

Now, three months into a war, the Russian government has come under fire, copping criticism in is a very rare occurrence on live television within the country.

A former senior Russian officer has warned on state television that the situation will get worse, and called for it to end.

He openly criticised his country’s actions in Ukraine, and admitted that Russia knows the entire world is against it.

His comments are expected to Vladimir Putin as it directly contradicts with his objectives.

The Former Government Official did receive some pushback from the show’s presenter a short time after those comments.

The buses carrying the Ukrainian soldiers who had been defending the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol have begun arriving in Russian-controlled territory

A convoy of at least seven buses has been seen leaving the besieged city, arriving at a former penal colony near Donetsk.

Neither Russian nor Ukrainian officials have confirmed the arrivals, but a news agency in Russia says its nation’s Investigative Committee plans to question the soldiers.

Moscow says it will be investigating “Ukrainian regime crimes”.

But now the soldiers have been evacuated, what happens from here?

The exact details of any deal made between Russia and Ukraine remain under wraps, but Kyiv has previously indicated its forces will be exchanged for Russian prisoners-of-war.

Moscow is yet to confirm this publicly, with the Kremlin avoiding questions on the prisoners’ status or possible transfer.

Ukrainian officials will be likely holding their breath, with individuals including a senior Russian MP accusing the Ukrainian soldiers of being “Nazis and war criminals”.

The MP has requested their exchange be banned all together, as Russia’s Supreme Court will decide whether to uphold a request to designate the group many of the fighters belong to as a terrorist organisation.

But, despite all of this, Ukraine says it was left with just one option – to save lives.