Vladimir Putin has vowed that any Western troops deployed to Ukraine will be treated as a 'legitimate' target by Russia's armed forces.
The chilling threat came just a day after Kyiv's allies said they had signed up to a plan that could see foreign soldiers stationed in Ukraine to guarantee any future peace deal.
Two dozen nations, led by Britain and France, pledged on Thursday to form a 'reassurance' force on land, at sea and in the air to monitor a potential settlement.
Officials have described the plan as part of a package of security guarantees designed to ensure that Russia cannot launch another large-scale invasion once the current fighting ends.
Speaking at an economic forum in Vladivostok on Friday, Putin declared: 'If some troops appear there, especially now during the fighting, we proceed from the premise that they will be legitimate targets.'
