Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Western powers such as Britain knew perfectly well that the deployment of such forces was unacceptable to Russia but had insisted on it in draft peace proposals in a bid to undermine the process.

"Well aware of the unacceptability of such a scenario ⁠for Russia, the British are using it as another tool to undermine the peace process," Zakharova told reporters.

"Any foreign troops in Ukraine will be considered as legitimate targets for the Russian armed forces. The British component will be no exception." (Reuters)