A senior Russian official said that Ukraine’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) would be not just a direct threat to Russia but a delayed declaration of war, local media reported on Wednesday.

Russia does not pose a threat to NATO, has no plans to attack NATO member countries, and certainly does not aim to harm their residents, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, was quoted as saying.

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Any attempts to advance hostile interests in Ukraine or other countries close to Russia will continue to be met with appropriate resistance, he said.

“The more such attempts there are, the tougher our responses will be. Whether the entire planet will be torn to shreds as a result depends solely on the prudence of the other side,” he added.