Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again mentioned nuclear weapons concerning the war in Ukraine.
According to Russia’s TASS news agency on the 27th (local time), Putin said during a meeting with his country’s fighter pilots, “F-16s that could be provided to Ukraine can carry nuclear weapons, and Russia will take this into account in its military planning.”
He also warned, “If F-16s take off from a third country’s airfield to confront the Russian military, they will become legitimate targets for Russia.”
However, he emphasized, “Even if the West provides F-16 fighter planes to Ukraine, it won’t change the situation on the battlefield. Just as we are destroying tanks, armored vehicles, and other equipment, including multiple rocket launchers, we will also destroy the fighter planes.”
His remarks responded to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba’s earlier comment that “fighter planes need to arrive in Ukraine within a few months.” Countries that have promised to provide F-16s to Ukraine include the United States, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands.
On the other hand, he dismissed claims that Russia could attack countries like Poland and the coastal countries near the Baltic Sea as “complete nonsense.” Putin added that this was “another way for the West to deceive its citizens and extract additional budget.”
He also reiterated that what they are conducting in Ukrainian territory is not a war but a special military operation. “Russia had no intention of attacking. If there hadn’t been a coup in Donbas, we wouldn’t have started a military operation,” he said, asserting, “Historically, we are protecting our citizens who were living on our territory.”
Most Commented