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Russia threatens to attack Western convoys taking weapons into Ukraine

Russia has threatened to carry out strikes on Western shipments of arms heading for Ukraine.

A senior Moscow diplomat sent a message to the US that it would consider targeting the caches of weapons pledged to the Ukrainian army.

Nato allies are continuing efforts to supply the heavily out-gunned defending army without getting drawn into direct conflict.

But it could turn into a flashpoint which risks the war spiralling into a direct conflict between Russia and Western countries if trucks or planes belonging to a Nato country are hit.

Deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov ‘warned the U.S. 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 also denounced the US sanctions against Moscow as an ‘unprecedented attempt to deal a serious blow to various sectors of the Russian economy’.

Nato countries have steadfastly refused president Zelensky’s repeated calls for a no-fly zones to installed around Ukraine.

RZESZOW, POLAND - MARCH 09: US Patriot missile defense batteries newly installed at the Rzeszow airport located near the Poland-Ukraine border in Rzeszow, Poland on March 09, 2022. The US military said that it is ??repositioning???? two Patriot missile defense batteries to Poland
Nato has responded to Russia’s invasion by strengthening defences on the eastern flank, including these air defence systems in Poland (Picture: Getty)

The prospect of Western armies shooting down Russian fighter jets is deemed to great a risk in case it triggers a directly conflict with a nuclear power.

US president Joe Biden reiterated that position yesterday, saying: ‘I want to be clear: We will defend every inch of NATO territory with the full might of a united and galvanized Nato.

‘But we will not fight a war against Russia in Ukraine. A direct confrontation between Nato and Russia is World War III. And something we must strive to prevent.’

Crisis talks between Moscow and Kyiv have continued via a video link, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, the RIA new agency reported.

Vladimir Putin held lengthy talks with his French and German counterparts Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz today.

Ukrainian soldiers seem to be salvaging what they recovered from a destroyed Russian convoy. Looks like huge amount of artillery and tank ammunition.
Images released by Ukraine’s military purport to show soldiers salvaging ammunition left behind by Russian forces (Picture: Ukraine Armed Forces)

An Elyses Palace official said that Putin still ‘did not appear ready to end the war’ despite agreeing to dialogue. 

They added that both France and Germany reiterated their call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine as a condition for full negotiations. 

The Kremlin readout of the call with Macron and Scholz did not mention a ceasefire and accused Ukraine of using civilians as human shields. 

MORE : In the court of Tsar Putin: The key Kremlin figures behind the Ukraine war

Around 1,300 Ukrainian troops have been killed since the start of the Russian invasion, president Zelensky said on Saturday.

He said Ukrainian and Russian negotiating teams had started discussing concrete topics rather than exchanging ultimatums.

The Ukrainian leader said the West should be more involved in negotiations to end the war but welcomed efforts by Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett to mediate.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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