Russia has said it will view NATO and US vehicles transporting weapons to Ukraine as legitimate targets.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the TASS News Agency the shocking development in an interview today.
He was quoted as saying: "We are warning that US-NATO weapons transports across Ukrainian territory will be considered by us as legal military targets.
"We are making the Americans and other Westerners understand that attempts to slow down our special operation, to inflict maximum damage on Russian contingents and formations of the DPR and LPR (Donetsk and Luhansk People's republics) will be harshly
suppressed."
This comes as Russia's aggression and attempts to curtail NATO's influence has actually pushed more countries into considering whether to join the defensive bloc.
Finland will make a decision about whether to apply to the alliance in the next few weeks, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said today.
![](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article26704013.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_US-Russia-Summit-2021-In-Geneva.jpg)
Previously, Finaland and neighbour Sweden had shied away from joining the US led alliance founded in 1949.
But, Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced many of its neighbouring countries, like Finalnd, to urgently reonsider.
Marin said: "There are different perspectives to apply (for) NATO membership or not to apply and we have to analyse these very carefully.
"But I think our process will be quite fast, it will happen in weeks,"
Finland shares a long border with Russia to its east.
This comes as Russia continues to focus its efforts on eastern parts of Ukraine, after its initial invasion failed to take key cities and urban centres.
![](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article26704104.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_Service-members-of-pro-Russian-troops-load-ammunition-into-an-armoured-personnel-carrier-in-Mariupol.jpg)
Despite an initial push for the capital Kyiv, and other strategically important cities like Mariupol, Russian forces quickly found themselves struggling to make up ground.
A combination of under prepared and resourced troops combined with stoic Ukrainian resistance quickly halted the invasion.
What followed was a protracted battle between the two sides as Putin’s forces shifted to relentless air attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Cities like Mariupol bore the brunt of these ruthless bombings.
However, in recent weeks, Russia changed its war plan and began pulling troops out of northern parts of Ukraine, especially around the capital Kyiv.
![](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article16538862.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/1_Russian-State-Duma-in-plenary-session.jpg)
At first, Moscow tried to claim this was a step to help ongoing peace talks but later said it was to help focus on military operations in the east of the country.
For years, there has been a heavy pro-Russian population in parts of eastern Ukraine.
It is where the government has long fought Moscow-backed separatists.
During Russia's retreat, a number of atrocities were slowly uncovered, especially in towns in the Kyiv Oblast, near the capital.
In Bucha, Ukrainian soldiers entering the city filmed their drive along its roads that were littered with corpses.
![](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article26704138.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/2_Service-members-of-pro-Russian-troops-ride-an-armoured-vehicle-during-fighting-near-Azovstal-plant-i.jpg)
The town's mayor said around 300 people had been killed by Russian forces.
Horrific pictures emerging from the area showed overflowing shallow graves, and dead bodies who had been shot with their hands bound.
This all comes only days after pro-Kremlin politician Viktor Medvedchuk was captured by Ukrainian forces.
Kyiv even proposed a prisoner exchange with Medvedchuk for Ukrainians held by Russia, but it was roundly rejected.