Putin Threatens Over No-Fly, Sanctions While Meeting With Female Flight Attendants

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday held a televised sit-down with female flight crew members at Aeroflot and addressed his invasion of Ukraine, saying that sanctions placed on the country are “akin to a declaration of war” and that any no-fly zone imposed would be seen as an act of war.

Putin visited Aeroflot outside Moscow, where he sat down for a discussion with female flight attendants and trainees ahead of International Women’s Day. He took the opportunity to ramp up rhetoric against nations that are aiding Ukraine in its defense against the unprovoked invasion and attacks.

“Now we are hearing that a no-fly zone must be established over Ukraine,” Putin said, according to several translated transcripts, claiming that enforcing it would only be possible “from the territory of some neighboring countries.”

“Any move in such direction will be viewed by us as participation in the armed conflict,” by whichever country assists or provides Ukraine access to do so, “no matter what members they are.”

Putin said “realization” of those calls for a no-fly zone “would bring catastrophic results not only to Europe, but to the whole world.”

Putin also declared the sanctions already imposed to be essentially acts of war.

“These sanctions that are being imposed are akin to a declaration of war but thank God it has not come to that,” he said, according to Russian state television.

“The current leadership needs to understand that if they continue doing what they are doing, they risk the future of Ukrainian statehood,” Putin threatened.

The State Department is warning Americans to leave Russia immediately as the fighting in Ukraine escalates and Putin’s rhetoric increases even further and the possibility of reprisal by officials ramps up. Aeroflot has suspended international flights after Putin said that Western nations might seize the commercial jets once landed abroad.

Watch the clip above, via NBC News Now.