Moscow says any foreign forces in Ukraine will be legitimate targets

Russia will treat the deployment of Western troops in Ukraine as a legitimate military target, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on February 4.

Speaking at a briefing, Zakharova described any plans to station foreign forces in Ukraine as “categorically unacceptable,” stressing that such a move would pose a direct threat to Russia’s security.

“Russia has repeatedly stated that the presence of Western troops on Ukrainian territory under any flag would represent a threat to our security. These forces will be regarded by us as a legitimate military target,” she said.

Zakharova recalled that NATO’s “unrestrained expansion” toward Russia’s borders, including into Ukraine, was among the root causes of the conflict, and argued that resolving the crisis would be impossible without addressing this issue.

She added that Russia intends to eliminate this threat through either military or political means, noting that Moscow had previously proposed “various options” to achieve a settlement.

By Tamilla Hasanova