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‘Consequences You Have Never Seen’: Putin Warns The West About Interfering

ALEXEY NIKOLSKY/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images

Brianna Lyman News and Commentary Writer
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Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stark warning Thursday to the West about possibly interfering in the ongoing assault against Ukraine, threatening “consequences you have never seen.”

Speaking around 5:30 a.m. local time, Putin issued a dire warning, presumably to NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the U.S., that Russia’s “response will be immediate.”

“Whoever tries to impede us, let alone create threats for our country and its people, must know that the Russian response will be immediate and lead to the consequences you have never seen in history,” Putin said, according to The Associated Press.

“We are ready for all outcomes,” Putin continued, according to a translation of his speech. “All decisions have been made.” (RELATED: Gas Prices Set To Skyrocket After Oil Soars Beyond $100 For The First Time Since 2014)

President Joe Biden responded to Russia’s invasion late Wednesday, saying “Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way.”

“The world will hold Russia accountable,” he added.

Biden is slated to meet with G7 leaders Thursday to discuss further sanctions while also coordinating with NATO allies “to ensure a strong, united response that deters any aggression against the Alliance.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday prior to the invasion that there is “no scenario” in which U.S. troops would be sent to fight Russia.

“We are not going to be in a war with Russia or putting military troops on the ground fighting Russia,” Psaki said.

“The president has been crystal clear and consistent. He is not sending U.S. troops to fight in Ukraine,” she continued. “There is no scenario — the president is not sending U.S. troops to fight in Ukraine against Russia.”

Putin recognized two separatist-controlled Ukrainian territories Monday, prompting Biden to issue a series of sanctions on two Russian banks and “comprehensive sanctions” on Russian debt. Biden also issued an executive order Monday prohibiting “new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine.”

Biden announced Wednesday he would allow economic sanctions to be reimposed on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, promising to “take further steps if Russia continues to escalate.”

Russian forces began attacking Ukraine early Thursday morning, with explosions reported in Kyiv. Putin originally said Russia would be conducting a “special military operation in Donbas” and that Russia’s goal was not occupying Ukraine. The Donbas region is located in southeastern Ukraine and is occupied by the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic, both of which Putin recognized Monday.

Despite Putin’s claim that military operations would be confined to the Donbas region, explosions have been reported near Kyiv, Lutsk, Odessa, Kherson, Lviv and several other locations.