Ukraine PM: Russia Wants World War III

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk today declared that Russia wants to start World War III.

“Attempts at military conflict in Ukraine will lead to a military conflict in Europe,” he told an interim cabinet meeting that was broadcast live. The remarks were also translated into English and posted on the official government website. “The world has not yet forgotten World War II, but Russia already wants to start World War III,” he said. Russia announced new military exercises Thursday involving ground and air forces near its border with Ukraine. The latest move follows stepped-up operation by Ukraine to remove pro-Russian insurgents from occupied buildings in the east. At least two people were killed in a clash at another checkpoint.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov: “The West wants — and this is how it all began — to seize control of Ukraine because of their own political ambitions, not in the interests of the Ukrainian people.”