Top Russian MP says Nato already party to military action in Ukraine

Comments come after Putin warned West that it is risking direct conflict with Russia

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The chairman of Russia's State Duma, the Lower House of Parliament, on Sept 13 accused Nato of being a party to military action in Ukraine, suggesting it was already heavily involved in military decision-making.

The comments, by Mr Vyacheslav Volodin, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, came a day after Mr Putin warned that the West would be directly fighting with Russia if it allowed Ukraine to strike Russian territory with Western-made long-range missiles, a move he said would alter the nature of the conflict.

Mr Volodin, who did not reference documentary evidence to back his assertions, accused the US-led military alliance of helping Ukraine choose which Russian cities to target, of agreeing over specific military action, and of giving Kyiv orders.

"The United States, Germany, Britain and France are discussing the possibility of strikes (by Ukraine) using long-range weapons on the territory of our country," he said. "This is nothing but an attempt to camouflage and conceal their direct participation in military action," Mr Volodin wrote on his official Telegram channel.