MOSCOW, November 29. /TASS/. If Western countries deploy their troops to Ukraine, it would mark a further escalation into direct military confrontation with Russia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told journalists.

"Such plans, if they go through with them, of course, will indicate even deeper engagement by the West in direct military confrontation with Russia," he said. "Frankly, the West is already largely involved, as evidenced by Washington’s and other Western capitals’ decision to authorize strikes by long-range weapons on facilities deep inside Russia," the senior diplomat explained.

Galuzin described such plans as provocative and noted that they "confirm the West’s intention to continue its profound engagement in a direct standoff with Russia." "Naturally, as Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated over the past weeks and days, we will react to this and determine the parameters of our reaction in accordance with emerging threats. Such responses have already been carried out," he pointed out.

"This policy will continue, and both the West and the Kiev regime should have no illusions that with their provocative actions they might force Russia to sacrifice its interests, including in the context of the Ukrainian crisis," the deputy foreign minister concluded.