ASTANA, October 14. /TASS/. A move to deploy NATO troops to Ukraine for a direct clash with the Russian army would be a very dangerous step that could lead to a global catastrophe, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters on Friday.

When speaking about NATO’s recent statement that Ukraine’s defeat would be the bloc’s defeat, the Russian leader noted that "it is a matter of perception, a matter of legal technique." "Everyone can have a different understanding of that. The fact that Crimea became Russia’s constituent entity in 2014 - is it a defeat or what?" Putin mused.

"In any case, the deployment of any troops for a direct clash with the Russian army is a very dangerous step that could lead to a global catastrophe. I hope that those who are talking about it will have enough sense to refrain from such steps," he said, when asked whether there was a possibility of the introduction of NATO forces to Ukraine if Kiev faced a dire situation on the battlefield.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on October 11 that Russia’s victory in the conflict in Ukraine would be NATO’s defeat. It’s crucial that Kiev wins, Stoltenberg stressed, adding that the alliance should be ready for a long war in Ukraine.