Russia dismissed the comments, saying they only pulled the Ukrainian people further into a bloody civil conflict.The comments came after Ukrainian troops were forced to flee Luhansk airport in the east of the country amid an offensive by pro-Russian rebels.
Meanwhile, crisis talks between Ukraine officials, rebels and Russian envoys have broken up without agreement.
"A great war has arrived at our doorstep - the likes of which Europe has not seen since World War Two," Ukrainian Defence Minister Valeriy Heletey wrote on Facebook on Monday.
"Unfortunately, the losses in such a war will be measured not in the hundreds but thousands and tens of thousands," he added
Russia has repeatedly denied Ukrainian and Western accusations that it is providing troops and equipment to the rebels.
Russia's foreign ministry said it was "hard to believe that such statements can be made by the defence minister of a civilised state".
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday that there could be "no military solution" to the crisis in Ukraine.
The situation was "very chaotic and dangerous" and required "a political dialogue for a political solution" that was sustainable, he told journalists during a visit to New Zealand.
'Overt aggression'
On Monday, Ukraine's army said it had been forced to withdraw from Luhansk airport after it was attacked by Russian tanks.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the incident was "direct, overt aggression against Ukraine from the neighbouring state".
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