F‑16 deployment to Ukraine: Russia threatens retaliation on airfields
F-16 aircraft are set to arrive in Ukraine, with some expected to be stored outside the country's territory. They may take off from Polish or Romanian airfields. The Russians are signaling that such actions will result in retaliation. "If they take off from the airfields of some country, enter the airspace of Ukraine, launch missiles and return there, then this is a legitimate goal. As for (the possibility - ed.) to shoot down, we can shoot down anyone and anywhere," announced Russian Deputy Andrey Kartapolov.
This summer, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, and Belgium are expected to deliver 60 F-16 aircraft to Ukraine. The aircraft are intended to help the Ukrainian military in the fight for control of the airspace over the country. Currently, Russia has a significant advantage in this domain.
The arrival of the F-16s in Ukraine is just the beginning. Training for pilots who will operate them is ongoing. Without this training, even the most advanced weapons would not be useful to Ukrainian troops.
The Commander of the Air Force of Ukraine, General Serhiy Holubtsov, announced that not all F-16 aircraft will reach Ukraine. Some will remain in training centers where crews and personnel are being trained. This measure ensures that the fighters are not destroyed before their missions begin.
Will Russia strike airfields with F-16s? General threatens
The Kremlin's reaction is immediate whenever the West announces another round of aid for Ukraine. When the Netherlands announced that the F-16s it delivers could attack targets in Russia, the deputy chairman of the Russian Federation Council international committee, Vladimir Dzhabarov, announced that they will be shot down.
There was also a question of where the American fighters would take off from. A Russian parliamentarian stated that they could start their missions from airfields in western Ukraine, Romania, or Poland. One of the Russian deputies announced that these airfields could become targets for Moscow.
If they take off from the airfields of some country, enter the airspace of Ukraine, launch missiles and return there, then this is a legitimate goal. As for (the possibility - ed.) to shoot down, we can shoot down anyone and anywhere - said Andrey Kartapolov, head of the Defense Committee of the Russian State Duma.
It should be noted that not only F-16s are expected to make their way to Ukraine. France has announced the delivery of Mirage aircraft. It is not yet known how many aircraft will be sent to Kyiv.
