Russian leader Vladimir Putin has warned neighbours Sweden and Finland there will be "military and political consequences’" if they joined NATO.
Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, warned there will be "serious repercussions" for the two countries if they joined the military alliance.
The chilling threat over crossing Putin was issued as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine intensifies, reports the Daily Mirror.
Both Scandinavian nations share a border with Russia.
During a news briefing, Zakharova said: “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.”
The foreign ministry later reiterated the threat online.
“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.
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.
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 Russian 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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