Russia will destroy US-made F-16 fighter jets that eventually make it to Ukraine, just as it has to other Western war equipment, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.
Several NATO member states have promised to donate their F-16’s to Kiev and have trained Ukrainian pilots to fly them, but no deliveries have been made yet.
Russia has warned the West that fielding the nuclear-capable jets will represent an unacceptable escalation of the Ukraine conflict.
If they deliver the F-16’s, I think you know better than others that this will not change the situation on the battlefield. And we will destroy these planes just as we have destroyed tanks, armored vehicles, and other equipment, including multiple launch rocket systems.
The comments came during Putin’s visit to Torzhok air base in Tver Region, home of the 344th Training Center for Russian combat pilots, including personnel being trained to take part in the NATO proxy conflict.
F-16’s flown by Ukrainian pilots but based in third countries will nevertheless be legitimate targets for Russia. Of course, if they are used from airfields of third countries, they become a legitimate target for us, wherever they are located.
Russia is well aware that the 1970’s jet can potentially carry nuclear weapons, and this will be taken into account in combat operations.
Kiev has lost much of its air force over the past two years, including Soviet-era jets donated by several NATO members as replacements. The Ukrainian government eventually asked the US-led bloc for F-16’s.
The single-engine fighter is a late 1970’s design, originally manufactured by General Dynamics before it was acquired by Lockheed Martin.
It requires pristine runways, which are in short supply in Ukraine, prompting speculation that Ukrainian-operated jets might be stationed in nearby NATO countries instead.
RT. com / ABC Flash point News 2024.
The F16 is a much better designed aircraft than the F35 but it is old technology and will be no match either for Russian missiles nor jets .
Russia has said it will need to shoot them down early on takeoff as it can carry nuclear weapons which need the speed of the plane to help deliver them and if taking off from a Nato country they will be attacked as well .
America and the UK are really pushing for WW3 and it will be the general public who will be killed in their tens of millions.
The Anglo-Nazi Zionist swamp will never give up their power (Khazarica mafia living Ukraine and Israel) without using nuclear weapons. Tests and warning have already been given to Lebanon (*Beirut harbor explosion by nuclear device).