Russia Threatens Third World War If Ukraine Joins NATO

The admission of Ukraine to NATO could spark a third world war, according to Alexander Venediktov, deputy secretary of the Russian Federation’s Security Council, in an interview with the state TASS news agency on Thursday.

“Kyiv is well aware that such an action would almost certainly result in a World War Three,” Venediktov was quoted as saying by TASS.

“That’s what they’re hoping for – to generate informational cacophony and pull attention back to themselves.”

Venediktov also repeated Russia’s claim that the West’s assistance to Ukraine shows that “they are a direct party to the conflict.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a surprising bid for fast-track NATO membership at the end of September, just after President Vladimir Putin staged a ceremony in Moscow to declare the four partially occupied territories annexed Russian territory.

On Wednesday, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously condemned Russia’s “attempted unlawful annexation” of four Ukrainian areas and asked that it be immediately reversed. They showed strong international opposition to the seven-month conflict and Moscow’s attempt to grab its neighbor’s territory.

The vote in the 193-member international body was 143-5, with 35 abstentions. It was the General Assembly’s strongest resolution in favor of Ukraine and against Russia since Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24.