Ukraine’s President Zelensky and his top officials have been calling for the US and NATO to impose a no-fly zone over the country. That would require American forces to shoot down Russian planes.
On Saturday, Russian President Putin issued a serious threat to any foreign power thinking of intervening.
Putin clearly stated that a no-fly zone would result in the Kremlin’s immediate declaration of war on any country intervening with a no-fly zone.
The AP reported and translated his comments made to Russian air forces service members as follows:
A no-fly-zone would spell war for any third party who tries to enforce one over Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has said.
Speaking at a meeting with female pilots on Saturday, Putin said Russia would view “any move in this direction” as an intervention that “will pose a threat to our service members.”
“That very second, we will view them as participants of the military conflict, and it would not matter what members they are,” the Russian president said.
He has also warned prior to this that nuclear war is on the table.
Additionally, he called sanctions an act of war.
Putin said on Saturday he wanted a neutral Ukraine that had been “demilitarized” and “denazified,” adding: “These sanctions that are being imposed are akin to a declaration of war but thank God it has not come to that.”
Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused the West of “economic banditry” and threatened to retaliate, without giving details.
Putin claims he is not violating the humanitarian corridors. They claim the nationalists [Nazis] are doing it. Who knows?
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