Russia will respond if its citizens are killed elsewhere: stern warning

Russia will defend its citizens in any part of the world, said Vladimir Chizhov, the Permanent Representative to the European Union, in an interview with the Guardian, as reported by RIA Novosti.

“You should not be surprised if we deliver a counter-strike. If Ukrainians start shamelessly killing Russian citizens somewhere, be it in Donbass or elsewhere,” he stated.

The diplomat emphasized that Moscow will not invade a neighboring country unless provoked: “Currently, the number of Russian forces on the border with Ukraine is comparable to the number of soldiers involved in the 'West-21' exercises in September of last year, but back then no one said anything,” Chizhov recalled.

In recent months, the West has accused Moscow of preparing to invade Ukraine and has been strengthening its presence in Eastern Europe. Russia rejects all accusations, emphasizing that it is moving troops within its own borders and reminds that it is not participating in the intra-Ukrainian conflict and is not violating any agreements, unlike Kyiv, which is not adhering to the Minsk agreements.

The document stipulates the implementation of constitutional reforms, a ceasefire, and the withdrawal of heavy armaments from the line of contact. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities have concentrated a significant portion of their army on the border with the self-proclaimed DPR and LPR, and there are regular shellings of militia forces, including the use of prohibited equipment supplied by Western countries.