Russia has warned that convoys of weapons the US and others are shipping to Ukraine will now be targeted.
A senior Russian diplomat revealed this Saturday.
The comments by the deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, reported by Sky News and BuzzFeed News, are likely to raise fears over a potential escalation in the conflict in Ukraine.
Ryabkov said that Russia had made its position clear to the US.
“Russia warned the US that pumping weapons from a number of countries it orchestrates isn’t just a dangerous move, it’s an action that makes those convoys legitimate targets,” he said.
Denouncing US sanctions against Moscow, he said they were an “unprecedented attempt to deal a serious blow to various sectors of the Russian economy”.
But he insisted that Russia did not intend to expel western media and businesses, adding “We aren’t going to escalate the situation”.