Russia labels F‑16 delivery to Ukraine a 'nuclear threat'
Lavrov issues another threat, this time sparked by plans to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighters capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
5:56 AM EDT, May 7, 2024
The ongoing war in Ukraine, now over two years, has seen the Ukrainian military expressing a strong desire to gain air superiority over Russia. To achieve this goal, access to modern aircraft is essential, a provision Western countries hesitated to fulfill initially.
However, the tide has turned, significantly boosting Ukraine's prospects of receiving F-16s. Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium have announced plans to send 45 fighters to Kyiv, thus enhancing the offensive capabilities of the Ukrainian air force.
Transfer of F-16s seen by Russia as a Western nuclear threat
"The plans of the United States to supply the Kyiv regime with F-16 fighters represent an extremely dangerous development. We have alerted nuclear powers, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, that Russia cannot overlook these aircraft's capacity to carry nuclear weapons. No assurances will suffice," Sergei Lavrov stated in an interview with the propaganda portal Lenta.ru.
Lavrov made it clear that the deployment of F-16 fighters could escalate the conflict, conforming to Russia's defensive strategy, which includes a nuclear response to any nuclear threat against its territory. The availability of such fighters would represent a broader Western nuclear threat, not just from Ukraine.
"In combat, our troops won't assess whether each specific aircraft can carry nuclear arms. The mere possession of these systems by the Ukrainian armed forces will be viewed as a Western nuclear threat," Lavrov added.
Ukrainian pilots are training to operate F-16s efficiently, though this process might substantially postpone the aircraft's delivery. Challenges include a language barrier in communicating with Ukrainian personnel.
