MOSCOW, March 4. /TASS/. Russia considers highly important to avoid at present situations and incidents that can lead to a direct encounter between the country and NATO, Russian envoy to OSCE Alexander Lukashevich said.

"We view statements voiced at present by the whole range of NATO countries on preparation of new military deliveries of lethal weapons to Ukraine by this time as the continuation of the reckless policy aimed at direct fomenting of military escalation in Ukraine. The point is not merely that such steps do not match at all calls for piece heard from the same countries. Dispatch of weapons that can be used against the Russian military and civilians by the Kiev regime creates strongly unacceptable risks," the diplomat said.

"We believe it is highly important at present to avoid situations and incidents that may lead to the direct encounter between Russia and NATO," he added.