Russia says foreign troops sent to Ukraine after a peace deal would be legitimate targets

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative file photo via Reuters

MOSCOW, July 15 (Reuters) - Russia said on Wednesday that any multinational force sent by Ukraine's allies to deploy there in the event of a peace deal would be unacceptable to Moscow, which would view it as a threat and a legitimate military target.

Western allies in the pro-Ukraine "coalition of the willing" met in Paris this week and reaffirmed their intention to deploy such a force after a cessation of hostilities, in order to reassure Ukraine and help it to regenerate its forces.

They also said that exercises would take place in the coming months to demonstrate the ability of the planned force, known as the Multinational Force for Ukraine (MNF-U), to act.

"In this context, we would like to reiterate that the deployment of any military contingents from countries of the so-called 'coalition of the willing' to Ukraine is unacceptable to our country," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters.

"I repeat: this would amount, de facto, to foreign intervention and an escalation of threats to Russia's security. We would regard such units as legitimate military targets."

 (Reporting by Dmitry AntonovWriting by Mark Trevelyan and Gleb StolyarovEditing by Peter Graff // REUTERS)