Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday warned NATO not to supply Ukraine with Patriot missile defense systems and called the alliance a “criminal organization,” Reuters reported.

Vladimir Putin and Dmitry MedvedevPhoto: Mykhailo Metzel / TASS / Profimedia Images

“If, as (NATO Secretary General Jens) Stoltenberg has hinted, NATO supplies Ukrainian fanatics with Patriot systems along with NATO personnel, they will immediately become a legitimate target of our armed forces,” Medvedev wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

It was not clear from his message whether he was referring to Patriot systems, Ukrainian forces or the fact that NATO personnel would be targeted.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, present at the NATO meeting in Bucharest, again called for advanced air defense systems, mentioning among other things the advanced Patriot system. Shortly after, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was asked about this type of system at a press conference.

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