Russia has warned the West that if they help defend Ukraine, then 'World War 3' will be inevitable - with 'universal nuclear war' on the cards.
The grim warning came on the month's anniversary since the illegal invasion of Ukraine began by Vladimir Putin's forces.
Millions have been forced to flee and thousands have been killed during the fighting in the likes of Kyiv, Mariupol and Kharkiv, with airstrikes a daily occurrence at this stage.
READ MORE: More than half of Ukraine's children have fled homes since start of Russia war
But the new statement is taking a step further, warning the western world to not intervene militarily.
Moscow's tightly-controlled state TV warned the alliance leaders, who are set to meet in Brussels later on Thursday, against deploying any troops into Ukraine, even if they were there to maintain peace.
TV presenter Vyacheslav Nikonov claimed that Russian truck drivers stuck on the border had spotted “an accumulation of American and Polish troops.
“As for me Poland strives not just to fulfil a peacekeeping mission, but to stake out the territories which they consider belonging to them historically.”
Olga Skabeyeva, host of state-owned Rossiya 1's show 60 Minutes said: “If NATO members send peacekeepers to Ukraine…
“They should understand that this will represent a direct clash between the armed forces of Russia and NATO.
“And how this collision will end is probably not worth explaining … this is called World War Three.”
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This line was echoed on other Kremlin-controlled shows. On Channel 1, Colonel Yury Knutov, repeated the same claims.
He said: “If there are any sane people left in NATO, they will not approve [a peacekeeping] operation [in Ukraine].
“Why? Because [a collective] NATO decision will mean a de facto declaration of war on Russia, this would be a Casus belli, meaning war between Russia and NATO.
“To win this war, whether we like it or not, we will have to use tactical nuclear weapons in the theatre of operations.
“This will then entail the use of powerful strategic nuclear weapons … which means universal nuclear war.”
Russia's state TV mouthpiece also warned the same outcome would come about if Poland acted independently, and not under the NATO umbrella.
Retired Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov, told Channel 1 that Putin should secure Ukraine' s western border with Poland.
The MP said: “The time has come for our leadership to say very clearly - these are the borders.
“And don’t you Poles dare poking in here, even 10 metres. You’ll be hit immediately with the whole might of our Kalibr [cruise missiles].
“And with all the might of artillery and aviation. This is not a nuclear weapon, but an ordinary one. And then the praised Polish army will run - knees up high - right back to Warsaw.”
