ladimir Putin has said any country which imposes a no-fly zone over Ukraine will be joining the conflict.
Ukrainian president Volodymr Zelensky had slammed Nato for refusing to impose a no-fly zone, effectively allowing Russian planes to continue shelling civilians.
Speaking from Kyiv on Friday night, Mr Zelensky said inaction by the West has given Russia “a green light” to continue attacking towns and villages.
The Russian President has responded by saying any nation which imposes a no-fly zone over Ukraine will be considered to have joined the war.
“Any movement in this direction will be considered by us as participation in an armed conflict by that country,” he said.
A no-fly zone is imposed to stop warplanes flying over a country but it needs to be enforced by military means.
Nato has said a no-fly zone would lead to a dangerous escalation of the war and will involve many more countries.
Putin also said that Western sanctions on Russia are almost a declaration of war
Speaking to a group of female pilots at an Aeroflot training centre near Moscow, Putin said: “These sanctions that are being imposed are akin to a declaration of war but thank God it has not come to that.”
The Russian leader added that he has no plans to declare martial law in Russia.
He said that this step would only be taken in “instances of external aggression, in defined areas of military activity”.
“But we don’t have such a situation and I hope we won’t have one,” he said.
There have been rumours that Putin was planning to declare martial law.
This would give Mr Putin extraordinary powers, including the ability to shut the country’s borders, intern all foreigners and control food supplies.
The Kremlin would also be given the power to further tighten censorship of the media, with military commanders given control of what can and cannot be printed and broadcasted. Authorities could also shut down the internet entirely, as well as all social media apps.