Putin now 'at war with Nato' as western official issues terrifying warning over Russian conflict spreading
The West had previously ruled out sending tanks to Ukraine due to fear of Putin's retaliation
SPUTNIK
Russia is now at "war against Nato and the West" an official claimed today as they issued a grave warning about the future of the Ukraine conflict.
Stefano Sannino, secretary general of the European Union's European External Action Service, said that the decision of Western leaders to send extra military equipment to Kyiv, including tanks, was "game-changing" in how Vladimir Putin would view the war.
For almost a year, the West had ruled out sending tanks to Ukraine for fear of retaliation from Russia.
Russia has unleashed a new round of shelling on Ukraine
VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS
The Kremlin has said it views the promised delivery of Western tanks as evidence of growing "direct involvement" of the United States and Europe in the 11-month-old war, something both deny.
Sannino warned Russia would now likely increase attacks on civilians and non-military targets and retaliate against the West.
The official said: "I think that this latest development in terms of armed supply is just an evolution of the situation and of the way Russia started moving the war into a different stage."
He added that Russia had "moved from a concept of special operation to a concept now of a war against Nato and the West".
Defending the decision to send tanks while speaking at a news conference in Tokyo as part of an Asia-Pacific tour, Sannino said the support was for defensive purposes only.
In commitments agreed this week, Poland will send an additional 60 tanks to Ukraine on top of the 14 German-made Leopard 2 tanks it has already pledged, Canada will send four Leopard 2 battle tanks, and according to two diplomatic sources France and Italy are close to finalising the technical details to supply an SAMP/T air defence system.
Russia has launch a barrage of heavy shelling in the north, northeast and east of Ukraine in an immediate response.
German-made Leopard 2 tanks are to be send to Kyiv
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES
The attacks have seen some of the heaviest combat since Russia's invasion on February 24 last year.
Ukraine's military said it shot down 47 of 59 Russian missiles - some fired from Tu-95 strategic bombers in the Russian Arctic.
Russia also launched 37 air strikes, 17 of them using Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones. All drones were downed, the military general staff said.