Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any country attempting to engage in the Ukraine conflict will be met with a "lightning-quick" response.
"We have all the instruments that no one else has… we will use them if required," he warned, implying ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.
Ukraine's allies have increased military supplies, with the US vowing to ensure Ukraine's victory over Russia.Russia's operations in the east, according to Western diplomats, are being impeded.
After withdrawing from areas near Kyiv, Russia launched a strong offensive to retake the Donbas region last week.
However, Russian forces are "finding it difficult to overcome the stout Ukrainian opposition and are suffering losses," according to one officer.
In a related event, the European Commission has accused Russia of blackmailing Poland and Bulgaria by cutting off gas exports.
Ursula von der Leyen, the Commission's President, said it demonstrated Russia's "unreliability" as a supplier.
The Kremlin claimed that "unfriendly acts" taken by Western countries had prompted Russia to take action.
Gazprom's cutoff comes after Poland and Bulgaria refused to pay for gas in Russian roubles, a demand made by Russian President Vladimir Putin in March to help shore up the country's flagging currency, which has been pummeled by Western sanctions.
On Wednesday, Mr Putin made his remarks to Russian legislators in the northern city of St Petersburg.
"If someone from the outside tries to intervene in Ukraine and create strategic threats for Russia, we will respond quickly," he warned.
"No one can match our arsenal of [response] tools. We won't brag about them; we'll use them if required."
All choices on what that response would entail have already been taken, according to the Russian leader, who did not provide any other specifics.
On February 24, Russia invaded Ukraine, and President Vladimir Putin ordered his military to put Russia's nuclear deterrence forces on high alert within days.
Analysts believe that Mr Putin's threats are an attempt to warn Ukraine's allies not to intervene further in the crisis.
Is it possible for Russia to deploy tactical nuclear weapons?
President Putin spoke a day after Western leaders met in Germany to pledge increased military aid to Ukraine.
Lloyd Austin, the US Defense Secretary, promised to move "heaven and earth" to ensure Ukraine's victory in the conflict.
In a remarkable U-turn in policy, Germany announced that it will provide 50 anti-aircraft tanks to Ukraine.Russia has continuing to build up forces in and around the Donbas, according to Western sources briefed on the latest developments in the war.
"However, when they come up against true military objectives, they struggle to overcome the tough Ukrainian opposition and incur losses," an official added.
Russian progress is likewise slowed by heavy rain. "Russians don't like fighting in the rain," a source claimed, adding that the Russians lack tactical understanding and continue to face logistical challenges.
Officials believe it's shocking that they don't operate off-road.
Even in besieged areas, Ukrainian forces have been able to resupply their forces "for an unexpectedly long period of time." (The most prominent example being Mariupol.)
Officials said that even in areas where Russia has gained territory, Ukrainian forces have demonstrated a "amazing" capacity to counter-attack, at times doing so quickly that the Russians are caught off guard.
Behind Russian lines, Ukrainian special forces are exploiting the vulnerability of extended supply lines to buy time for Ukraine.
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