Russia said British troops would become ‘legitimate military targets’ in a sharp rejection of the deal – while Americans living in Kyiv were warned of ‘potentially significant air strikes’.
Kremlin says Vladimir Putin would consider any Western military presence in Ukraine a ‘threat’ (Image: Poole/AFP via Getty Images)
Russia has rejected a peace deal in Ukraine and labelled British troops “legitimate military targets” in a terrifying new threat amid fears of ‘significant air strikes’ on Kyiv.
Reacting to a new US-European proposal to provide security guarantees to Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached, the Kremlin branded the move “foreign interference” – and claimed it would pose a direct “threat” to Russian security.
It comes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron signed off on a new plan to set up a military ‘hub’ in Ukraine in the event of a deal to protect the country from another invasion.
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Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron signed a security deal this week to underpin a future Ukraine ceasefire (Image: Smartframe/Zuma Press)
But Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Britain and its allies of planning to “continue the militarisation of Ukraine” – and warned that Western military units, military facilities and other infrastructure in Ukraine would become “legitimate targets” for Putin’s troops.
He said, “As made clear by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, who signed the respective trilateral statement, [Vladimir] Zelensky, London and Paris plan to establish their own military bases and build weapons and military equipment storage facilities in Ukraine after the ceasefire.
The Russian Foreign Ministry warns that deploying military units on Ukrainian territory, along with establishing military facilities, storage, and other Western infrastructure, would be considered foreign interference that directly threatens the security of Russia and other European countries.
“All such units and facilities will be considered legitimate military targets for the Russian Armed Forces. The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly issued warnings to this effect, and they continue to hold significance.
US Embassy in Kyiv warns its citizens of ‘potential significant airstrike’ in Kyiv (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images).
He described Willing, a coalition of 35 countries that signed the 6 January accord, as “creating the true axis of war”, claiming that their plans would “prove disastrous for the future of the European continent and its inhabitants, who are forced by Western politicians to pay for such ambitions out of their own pockets”.
Zakharova said that any proposal to end the war in Ukraine would require Ukraine to adopt a neutral position, abandon NATO membership ambitions, and hand over occupied territories. Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Kyiv warned its citizens that it has received intelligence of a large-scale airstrike on the Ukrainian capital tonight.
Writing on his website, he said, “The US Embassy in Kyiv has received information about a potentially significant airstrike that could occur at any time in the next several days.” He said American citizens should be prepared to take shelter immediately if they hear air raid sirens.
