OREANDA-NEWS  Lithuania is ready to send soldiers to Ukraine as part of a training mission, writes the Financial Times with reference to Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrid Shimonite.

"Shimonite told the Financial Times that she has permission from parliament to send troops to Ukraine for training purposes," the publication says.

The newspaper clarified that Kiev has not yet received a request to send a mission.

In addition, as stated by Shimonite, Lithuania wants to help Ukraine ensure "that it has the potential to upgrade its armed forces." In this regard, Vilnius will refuse Ukrainian draft dodgers a residence permit. At the same time, they will not intentionally search for or deport them, as this is illegal, the prime minister stressed.

Recently, NATO countries have been increasingly talking about direct intervention in the Ukrainian conflict. So, last week, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the possible dispatch of French military personnel to Ukraine, and British Foreign Minister David Cameron called the attacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the territory of Russia by British missiles permissible.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called what is happening an unprecedented round of escalation of tension, which requires special attention and measures.

On Monday, the General Staff, on behalf of Vladimir Putin, began preparations for conducting exercises in the near future, which will work out the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons. According to the Foreign Ministry, these maneuvers should be considered in the context of recent bellicose statements by Western officials and destabilizing actions by NATO.