Russia Threatens UK Assets Amid UK Military Aid, Allies Plan Troop Deployment to Ukraine

Russian Major-General Apti Alaudinov, commander of the Akhmat special forces, declared on Russian state TV that Russia's next goal is to take the entire territory of Ukraine, describing all of Ukraine as "strategically important" and warning that European troops sent to support Ukraine would become legitimate targets. This statement followed commitments by 26 countries, led by France and Britain, to deploy a reassurance force in Ukraine to patrol any ceasefire agreement and prevent further Russian aggression. French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized this as a serious step for Ukraine's security, while Vladimir Putin criticized the deployment, labeling Western military ties with Ukraine as a root cause of the conflict. In response to the UK using frozen Russian assets to fund over £1 billion in military aid to Ukraine, Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's deputy chairman of the security council, threatened retaliation by seizing British assets and warned that Russia might also take more Ukrainian territory. Medvedev characterized the UK government's actions as an offense and insulted British officials, underscoring escalating tensions linked to international support for Ukraine amid ongoing war. These developments reflect a deepening conflict with heightened military posturing and diplomatic threats surrounding the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war.