World War 3 could be imminent, said former presidential adviser Andrey Illarionov. He revealed during a recent conference in Lithuania that Russian president Vladimir Putin had been creating a design for a major 10-year war since 2003, signalling a possible World War 3.

Illarionov had been an adviser to the Russian president on economic policy from 2000 to 2005, according to The Examiner.

The former high ranking official said that Putin has been planning military operations in Crimea and Ukraine. The Russian president is also preparing for the Baltic region and other territories on the legal definition of what constitutes persons from Russia, reported The Inquisitr  on Sept. 26.

In 2010, Putin himself revealed his stand on Ukraine's status as a nation at a NATO summit. He reportedly said the state wasn't a "real" nation but a country that took over territory once occupied by Russia, Romania, Hungary and Poland.

In 2008, the Russian Journal had published Putin's plan for Crimea's takeover, as well as a military sweep northwestward toward Kiev.

 "As we see, not only were they preparing, they were publishing it," said Illarionov.

Whenever Putin discusses the prospect of a World War 3, he seems to be speaking two different meanings. While Putin says Russia has no plans for "large-scale conflicts" over the Ukraine war, he also makes threatening statements about Russia's nuclear weapons and the country's military abilities to invade eastern European nations.

Indeed, Illarionov's warnings show potential multi-national confrontation, similar to a forerunner for World War 3. The former presidential adviser's words of warning came a few weeks after reports surfaced that Putin threatened to restart Russia's nuclear program and that there had been a test fire of Russia's extant nuclear arsenal.

At the time, Putin also threatened Europe saying he could have his military in the capitals of several European countries, including the Baltic states, Kiev, Warsaw, and Bucharest, in just two days.

Those who fear the possibility of World War 3 believe that recent reports can mean an eventual confrontation between Russia and the United States, especially as Putin already made his stance on the Russian army moving in on Crimea and Ukraine.

Many may believe the Russian majority to be in support of the attack on Ukraine. However, a lot of Russians are still against Putin's actions which could trigger a global conflict.

In the latest act of protest, tens of thousands of residents marched in the streets of Moscow this past week to show they are against Putin's plans of a World War 3, reported The Inquisitr.

Boris Nemtsov, a former Russian deputy prime minister, helped organize the march, reported The Epoch Times.

Nemtsov said via Facebook that the protest against a possible World War 3 "had a very important psychological effect" as "supporters all over the world saw each other and it turned out that there's a lot of us! It brings strength, and faith in our victory."

He added that the anti-World War 3 movement is especially "serious" as the tens of thousands of protesters involved "educated, free" people who have been "marginalized" by Putin.

United Kingdom Independence Party leader Nigel Farage also suggested that U.S. and Russia needs to stop squabbling over Ukraine. Instead, Putin must focus on threats made by the Islamic State.

Meanwhile, there are those who blame the United States for instigating World War 3.

The Pew Research Center said 52 percent of Russians believe that Ukraine has "become a puppet in the hands of the West and the U.S.A., who are pursuing an anti-Russia policy."

The 48 percent who disagree with Putin's plans were amongst the estimated 50,000 people who marched through downtown Moscow in protest.

These included demonstrators from the People's Freedom Party, Yabloko, and Progress Party. They were heard chanting, "peace to Ukraine, freedom to Russia" and "no Putin, no war," and "Russia without Putin."

Some of them claimed "there's an active war between our countries" and that "the people are total zombies as to what is happening," reports The Washington Post.

"We must always show [Putin] that there are people who think differently. There is a lot of propaganda - but you write that we don't all think that way," said 62-year-old protester Tatyana Komendant of the anti-World War 3 march.

However, while Russia is intent on reuniting territories once under Moscow rule, it does not necessarily mean Putin wants World War 3. It is worth noting that Illarionov's claims were based on Putin's statements made in 2003, prior to the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia joining NATO in March 2004.

It is a hope that with President Barack Obama's assurances to the Baltic states that NATO would honor its agreement of mutual defense with the former Russian/Soviet Union satellites, Putin would no longer initiate action which could lead to World War 3.