Finland's President tells Vladimir Putin that his country is going to join NATO after Russia cuts off electricity to Finns and threatens them with nuclear war

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The Finnish President told Vladimir Putin his country will join NATO in a 'direct and straightforward' phone call this morning.

Sauli Niinistö said the conversation was 'conducted without aggravations' as both parties worked to 'avoid tensions'.

The discussion came as Russia cut off electricity supplies to the country and a Putin lackey boasted that the Kremlin could destroy Finland in 'ten seconds'.

Finnish President Sauli Niinistö (pictured at a press conference last week) initiated the call

A readout from the Finnish President's Office stated: 'President Niinistö announced that Finland decides to seek NATO membership in the next few days.'

Russia's invasion of Ukraine and cyber-attacks on Finland and Sweden have 'altered the security environment' in Helsinki, Putin was told.

It wasn't revealed how long the call went on or whether Niinisto had consulted other world leaders before speaking to Putin. 

President Niinistö reportedly reminded the Kremlin leader that they agreed every independent nation maximise its security during their first meeting in 2012.

'This is what is happening now, too', Niinistö said.

Putin (pictured during a Security Council meeting on Friday) stayed calm, Helsinki reported

Finland will become the sixth NATO member to share a land border with Russian territory

'By joining NATO Finland strengthens its own security and assumes its responsibility. It is not away from anyone else. Finland wants to take care of the practical questions arising from being a neighbour of Russia in a correct and professional manner.'

The phone call was initiated by Finland, Helsinki said. 

President Niinistö commented: 'The conversation was direct and straight-forward and it was conducted without aggravations. Avoiding tensions was considered important'

He repeated his concern about the human cost of the war in Ukraine and stressed the importance of a peace deal.

Putin ally and MP Aleksey Zhuravlyov had warned Russia's Satan-2 nuke would destroy Finland in 'ten seconds' - and could reach the UK in just three minutes.

Boris Johnson (left) and President Niinistö at a press conference in Helsinki on Wednesday

Putin (pictured yesterday) is prompting frustration as his war in Ukraine continues to falter

The Duma defence committee deputy chairman fumed: 'If Finland wants to join this bloc, then our goal is absolutely legitimate - to question the existence of this state. This is logical.'

Zhuravlyov's wild threats signal frustrations at Putin's faltering invasion of Ukraine - and ire at Finland's NATO bid.

Russia cut off electricity supplies to Finland this morning. 

The Nordic country imports ten per cent of its electricity from Russia and will not suffer power shortages, officials said.

Asked if Russia would now rebase nuclear weapons onto its border with Finland, Zhuravlyov said: 'What for? We don't need to.

'We can hit with a Sarmat from Siberia, and even reach the UK.

'And if we strike from Kaliningrad... the hypersonic's reaching time is 200 seconds - so go ahead, guys.

'On the Finnish border we will have not strategic weapons, but Kinzhal-class, one that will reach Finland in 20 seconds, or even 10 seconds.'

The news comes as Russia's attempt to pivot its invasion to southern and eastern Ukraine continues to fail.

Putin's forces initially hoped to take Kyiv and decapitate Ukraine's leadership in an all-out war, but faltered amid rugged resistance and a spate of military failings.

Russian tanks were pictured yesterday sunk in the Donbas river after failing twice to cross the strategic point.

Putin lost a whole battalion trying to cross the river on May 8 after Ukraine discovered plans - and made a second attempt on Thursday.

It is just the latest humiliation for Putin's army - once ranked second in the world - after commanders failed to capture the capital Kyiv, were beaten back from Mykolaiv by a rag-tag band of territorial defence troops and civilians, and got their Black Sea flagship Moskva sunk by Ukrainian missiles.

Commanders are now trying to seize control of the Donbas region - cynically claiming that was their true objective all along - but have so-far failed to make any significant breakthrough in almost a month of fighting, with Kyiv claiming Russia has suffered 'colossal' losses.