THE deployment of peacekeepers to historical Russian lands would risk World War III, Russian security council Secretary Sergey Shoigu warned in an interview with the Tass news agency today.

Mr Shoigu said that plans by the so-called “coalition of the willing” to put boots on the ground in Ukraine under the guise of peacekeepers “may lead to a direct confrontation between Nato and Russia or even cause WWIII further down the road.”

Mr Shoigu argued that the notion of “peacekeepers” conceals the pursuit of control over Ukraine and its mineral resources. 

“It would be more correct to call such troops invaders or occupants,” he insisted.

Mr Shoigu said he suspected that the so-called peacekeepers would support the regime, persecution of Orthodox believers and the campaign to deprive the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine of the right to speak their native language and keep their culture and traditions.

He said: “This would not be a peacekeeping mission” and would explain why “the real global majority has shown little inclination to join similar peacekeeping initiatives.”

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky cut short his official trip to South Africa and returned home after a Russian strike on the Ukrainian capital Kiev killed at least nine people and injured more than 70.

The attack on Kiev came hours after peace negotiations appeared to stall, with United States President Donald Trump lashing out at Mr Zelensky, saying he was prolonging the “killing field” by pushing back on ceding Crimea to Russia as part of a potential peace plan. 

Later that day, US President Donald Trump said “it’s been harder” to deal with Mr Zelensky than with Russia.

The Kiev City Military Administration said on its Telegram channel that Russia struck Kiev with at least 45 drones and ballistic missiles. 

At least 42 people were hospitalised in Kiev, Ukraine’s state emergency service said.