Russia warns Australia of 'grave consequences' over potential peacekeeper deployment to Ukraine

This is reported by ABC News.

“For Australia, joining the so-called coalition of the willing would entail grave consequences. Once again, Western boots on the ground are unacceptable for Russia, and we will not remain passive observers,” the embassy warned in a statement.

The Russian embassy added that this was allegedly not a threat but a warning.

“To those inclined to construe the above as a threat: it is not. It is a warning. Russia has no intention to harm Australians, and Canberra can easily avoid trouble by simply refraining from irresponsible adventurism in the zone of the Special Military Operation. It might seem even more ironic that a government so heavily invested in protracting the war has suddenly developed an interest in peacekeeping. But maybe it is not so surprising after all,” the statement says.

The Russian embassy believes that the idea of deploying Western military contingents in Ukraine is allegedly aimed at undermining peacekeeping efforts.

• On March 4, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that his country was open to requests for participation in peacekeeping operations in Ukraine.