Russian President Vladimir Putin has compared Russia's invasion of Ukraine to the fight against Nazi Germany, in a speech to mark the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of the Battle of Stalingrad.
Germany is one of many countries helping Ukraine defend its territory.
Citing Germany's decision to send tanks to Ukraine, Putin said history was repeating itself, reports BBC.
He said, "It's unbelievable but true. We are again being threatened by German Leopard tanks."
Speaking in Volgograd - the modern name for Stalingrad, Putin hinted that he could seek to move beyond conventional weapons.
"Those who hope to defeat Russia on the battlefield do not understand, it seems, that a modern war with Russia will be very different for them.
We are not sending our tanks to their borders, but we have the means to respond. It won't be limited to the use of armoured hardware. Everyone must understand this."
The president was in Volgograd to mark the anniversary of the end of World War Two's Battle of Stalingrad, which saw the Soviet army capture nearly 91,000 German troops in a major turning point of the war.
Over a million people perished in the battle - the bloodiest of the conflict.
Volgograd was temporarily renamed Stalingrad for the day to mark the anniversary, and earlier this week a new bust of the former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin was unveiled.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
