On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stern warning, stating that there would be "serious consequences" if Western countries allowed Ukraine to use their weapons to strike Russia.
Speaking in Uzbekistan, Putin addressed ongoing discussions among some NATO member states about permitting Ukraine to target sites within Russia.
"This constant escalation can lead to serious consequences," Putin declared, as reported by Moscow Times.
He specifically urged European countries, especially smaller ones with dense populations, to consider the risks involved in further escalating the conflict.
Although he acknowledged that Ukraine would be the one conducting the strikes, Putin stressed that Western suppliers of the weapons would be held responsible.
Putin also claimed that Western military instructors were already present in Ukraine, disguised as mercenaries, and warned that officially sending them would mark another "escalation."
"It is another step towards a serious conflict in Europe, towards a global conflict," he said.
On Monday, Ukraine's top commander announced that discussions were underway with France about sending military instructors to the country. Putin reiterated that there were already specialists in Ukraine posing as mercenaries, describing this as "nothing new."
He assured that these forces would be "defeated" by the Russian army and warned, "We will do what we think is necessary regardless of who is on the territory of Ukraine. They should be aware of this."
