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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Sam Elliott-Gibbs

Vladimir Putin 'plans to dominate Europe' with chilling warning to Finland and Sweden

Vladimir Putin has threatened Sweden and Finland with ' military and political consequences' if they join NATO.

Maria Zakharova, Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman, says there will be serious repercussions for their close Arctic neighbours.

As Russia's invasion of Ukraine intensifies, they have sent out another warning about crossing President Putin.

Zakharova said during a news briefing: "Finland and Sweden should not base their security on damaging the security of other countries and their accession to NATO can have detrimental consequences and face some military and political consequences."

Later, the foreign ministry reiterated the threat online.

Follow the latest updates on the Ukraine and Russia situation in our live blog

Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova gave Finland and Sweden a stark warning (Russian Foreign Ministry/TASS)

"We regard the Finnish government's commitment to a military non-alignment policy as an important factor in ensuring security and stability in northern Europe," the department wrote on twitter.

"Finland's accession to NATO would have serious military and political repercussions."

Putin is understood to have attacked Ukraine after western nations examined the idea of the country joining NATO.

The latest threat comes as the battle intensifies in Ukraine (AFP via Getty Images)

CNN this morning report that US intelligence officials fear capital Kyiv could fall as early as Saturday afternoon.

Russian troops were seen entering the city in the early hours.

They have already captured the city of Melitopol in the southeastern Zaporizhzhya region, a combination of trained troops and civilians baring arms have managed to stave off attacks in most other areas.

The harrowing night of fighting has taken a great toll on both sides, with estimates suggesting between 1,000 and 3,500 Russian soldiers have been killed.

Putin's plan to dominate Europe beyond Ukraine has been revealed (AFP via Getty Images)

A total of 198 Ukrainians, including three children, have been killed amid the Russian invasion according to the country's Health Minister Viktor Lyashko.

A further 1,115 people have been wounded, among them 33 children he wrote on Facebook.

It comes as Putin stands accused of bombing a nursery as more heartbreaking footage emerged last night.

The horrifying drone slips appeared to show a kindergarten, named the Sunshine nursery, surrounded by bodies in the eastern Ukrainian city of Okhtyrka.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russain shelling of a hospital was "beyond evil".

He accused Russia of war crimes after earlier reports of attacks on orphanages.

He promised Ukraine would send evidence of the attacks to The Hague.

"Today’s Russian attacks on a kindergarten and an orphanage are war crimes and violations of the Rome Statute," Dmytro Kuleba tweeted, referring to the agreement that established the International Criminal Court.

"Together with the General Prosecutor’s Office we are collecting this and other facts, which we will immediately send to the Hague.

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