MOSCOW, March 19. /TASS/. The deployment of any armed contingents under any "flag" in Ukraine would signify direct involvement in the conflict with Russia, and Moscow would respond with all available means, stated Yulia Zhdanova, the acting head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna talks on military security and arms control. Her remarks were made during a meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation, and a transcript was subsequently posted on the Foreign Ministry's website.
"It is absolutely unacceptable for us to allow the deployment of foreign military units in Ukraine under any 'flag,' whether they are foreign contingents, military bases, or so-called 'peacekeeping operations' proposed by those who have completely removed the concepts of 'peacekeeping' and 'peace' from their vocabulary and political practices. Such actions would constitute direct involvement of these countries in an armed conflict with Russia, to which we will respond with all available means," she emphasized.
The diplomat emphasized that the concept of achieving "peace through strength," which encourages the Kiev regime to escalate attacks against civilians, is utterly unacceptable. "This was evident on the night of March 11, when the Ukrainian army targeted civilian facilities in Russian regions using UAVs. This attack was likely timed to coincide with US-Ukrainian discussions on conflict resolution in Saudi Arabia, as well as the working visit of OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioglu to Moscow," Zhdanova noted. "Furthermore, just yesterday, on the eve of a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, the Ukrainian military made five unsuccessful attempts to invade the Belgorod Region."
In the diplomat's view, such barbaric tactics illustrate that the "Kiev clique," facing daily defeats on the battlefield, is desperately trying to assert its military capabilities and impose conditions for potential negotiations.
"We urge international and specialized intergovernmental organizations to conduct a thorough assessment of the terrorist campaign being waged by the Kyiv regime against the civilian population," she added.