Russia on Thursday warned of a third world war in case Kyiv is granted membership into North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Russia in an interview with state-run TASS news agency on Thursday said that its former Soviet neighbour's entry to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will lead to a third world war.
The News agency reported “Calling Ukraine's application for a fast-track NATO membership “rather a propaganda move”, Russian security council deputy secretary Alexander Venediktov said that Kyiv is “well aware” that such a step would mean a “guaranteed escalation to World War III”.
On September 30, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Ukraine's bid to fast-track the process of NATO membership as Russian President Vladimir Putin formally proclaimed the annexation of 18% of the territory of Ukraine.
Alexander Venediktov, deputy to Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and a powerful ally of President Vladimir Putin warned that the move to provide Ukraine with full membership of NATO will be suicidal.
"The suicidal nature of such a step is understood by NATO members themselves," he said.
The warning comes amid heavy shelling by Russia even in residential areas of Ukraine in reaction to what it claims as a “terrorist attack" by Ukrainian forces on the Kerch bridge, which connects the Russian mainland with the Crimean Peninsula.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a bid for fast-track NATO membership at the end of September, soon after his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a ceremony to annex four regions of the strife-torn east European country.
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