In a stern warning to French President Emmanuel Macron, allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin cautioned against any potential deployment of foreign troops into Ukraine, drawing parallels to Napoleon Bonaparte's ill-fated invasion of Russia in 1812.

Macron's recent remarks, where he did not rule out the possibility of sending foreign troops to aid Ukraine, stirred concern among Western nations. While the United States and Britain expressed no plans for such action, the Kremlin issued a stark warning, signaling the risk of a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO if troops were deployed.

Vyacheslav Volodin, a close ally of Putin and the speaker of the Russian State Duma, likened Macron to Napoleon and urged him to avoid emulating the French emperor's disastrous military campaign. Volodin accused Macron of endangering French citizens by pursuing initiatives that could escalate into a global conflict.

Napoleon's ambitious invasion of Russia in 1812 initially saw success as his forces captured Moscow. However, Russian resistance tactics eventually led to a catastrophic retreat, resulting in substantial losses for Napoleon's army due to disease, hunger, and harsh winter conditions.

The ongoing war in Ukraine has strained Russia's relations with the West, with Putin cautioning against the dangers of a direct clash between NATO and Russia, given Russia's possession of the world's largest nuclear arsenal.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now serving as deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, criticized Macron's statement as indicative of misguided Western political thinking. Medvedev, once considered a reformist figure, has adopted a hawkish stance since the conflict in Ukraine began, issuing warnings of nuclear apocalypse should certain red lines be crossed.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova suggested that Macron's stance stood in contrast to other Western countries' understanding of the risks associated with direct military confrontation between NATO and Russia.