MOSCOW 

Russia on Saturday requested a UN Security Council meeting to discuss French President Emmanuel Macron's idea to send NATO troops to Ukraine.

Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting in New York, Russia's deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Security Council Dmitry Polyansky said Moscow would like to know more about such "ideas fraught with the beginning of the Third World War."

On Feb. 27, Macron confirmed his offer to NATO partners to send troops to Ukraine. However, he added that an official consensus to send ground troops "has not yet been reached, but nothing can be ruled out."

Later, he said France would send soldiers if Russia moved to Kyiv or Odesa.

Polyansky added that it is equally important to discuss leaked conversations between German Air Force officers about supplying Taurus missiles to Ukraine, as well as the media reports that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has deployed a network of spy bases in Ukraine, near the Russian border.

"It would be interesting to hear a comment in connection with a conversation leaked to the media by high-ranking German military officials who talked about how to help Ukrainians destroy the Kerch Bridge in Crimea and strike deep into Russian territory," he said.

Last week, the German government faced criticism after conversations between Air Force officers about supplying Taurus missiles to Ukraine were leaked. Potential strategies were discussed, such as providing satellite intelligence through third parties rather than direct German involvement.

The New York Times said on Feb.27 that over the past eight years, the CIA has trained and equipped Kyiv’s intelligence officers in underground bunkers, some of which are buried deep in Ukraine’s forests.

Regarding the incident with a strike in Odesa on Wednesday, Polyansky said its target was a workshop for assembling naval drones from parts delivered from the UK.

"If some of you hope in your heart to get rid of the leader (President Zelenskyy) of the Kyiv regime in this way, then I can disappoint you, this is not part of our plans," he said.

The Greek media said on Wednesday that an explosion was heard in the Black Sea port of Odesa, shortly before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Greek Prime Minister Kiriakos Mitsotakis were scheduled to meet.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that a strike was carried out around that time on Odesa, with the target being a water drone warehouse.