Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, on Sept. 5, 2025. Alexander Kazakov/Sputnik via Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sept. 5 that if foreign troops were deployed to Ukraine ahead of a final peace agreement, they would be considered “legitimate targets” to be attacked.
“If any troops appear there, especially now while fighting is ongoing, we assume that they will be legitimate targets for destruction,” Putin said during a panel discussion at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, eastern Russia.