Kyiv: Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any deployment of European troops in Ukraine would amount to war with Russia, as Russian forces continue to carry out heavy missile and drone attacks across Ukraine.
Putin made the warning on September 11 while speaking to reporters during his visit to India for the BRICS summit. His comments came as European countries continued preparations for a possible multinational force in Ukraine if a credible ceasefire is reached.
Putin said the presence of European troops in Ukraine would represent direct military involvement by European countries in the conflict. Russia has repeatedly opposed the possibility of foreign troops being stationed in Ukraine.
At the same time, Putin said Russia does not consider itself a threat to Europe and has no intention of attacking European countries. He also repeated Moscow's position that NATO expansion and Western policies toward Ukraine were among the causes of the war.
The warning came as Russian attacks caused deaths and injuries in several parts of Ukraine.
In Zaporizhzhia, two people were killed and another person was wounded in a Russian drone strike on a residential area, according to regional authorities.
In Kryvyi Rih, one person was killed and three others were wounded. In the southern port city of Odesa, 35 people were wounded in what regional authorities described as a major attack.
A residential high rise in Odesa was also badly damaged, with upper floors destroyed.
The latest attacks are part of a wider increase in Russian aerial attacks on Ukraine in recent days. Russian forces have struck residential areas as well as economic, energy and transport infrastructure.
On September 8, Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv after a period of relative calm. Five people were killed and 35 were wounded, according to Ukrainian authorities.
On September 10, Russian attacks killed five people in Pavlohrad and injured 76 people across the Dnipropetrovsk region, according to Ukrainian officials. Other attacks damaged a petrol station in Kyiv and an agricultural facility in Dnipro.
Russia has also increasingly used fast, jet powered drones in its attacks. Ukrainian officials and military authorities have said the faster drones present an additional challenge for air defence systems.
The attacks are raising concern as Ukraine prepares for another winter. The United Nations has warned that repeated Russian attacks on electricity and heating infrastructure have severely affected essential services.
A United Nations report said that between October 2025 and March 2026, Russia carried out at least 423 attacks on electricity generation, transmission and distribution facilities in Ukraine. It also recorded 74 attacks on combined heat and power plants and other heating infrastructure.
The damage has left Ukraine facing serious challenges in restoring its energy system before winter.
European countries have been discussing security arrangements for Ukraine in the event of a future ceasefire. Britain and France have played a leading role in plans for a multinational force, with other European countries also involved.
The proposed force is intended to operate after a credible cessation of hostilities. Its proposed role includes providing security support and helping Ukraine strengthen its armed forces.
There is currently no confirmation that European troops are being deployed to Ukraine.
The plans are also separate from the continuing diplomatic efforts to end the war. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner recently held talks with Russian officials in Moscow. The discussions were described as useful by the Kremlin, but there has been no confirmed comprehensive peace agreement or ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he would be willing to meet Putin at the G20 summit in Miami in December if both leaders attend. However, Putin's attendance has not been confirmed, and there is no confirmed date for a meeting between the two leaders.
Zelenskyy has also called for an energy truce under which Russia and Ukraine would stop attacking each other's energy facilities. The proposal has not become an agreed ceasefire.
The latest developments show the difficult situation surrounding efforts to end the war. Diplomatic contacts are continuing, while Russian attacks on Ukraine remain intense.
Putin's warning over possible European troop deployment also adds to concerns about a wider confrontation between Russia and European countries if a future security force is established in Ukraine.