The Russian multinational affirms that it cannot “ignore the fact that these aircraft belong to dual-equipment platforms: nuclear and non-nuclear”, regardless of “the changes made.”
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Russia warned this Monday that sending F-16 fighters to Ukraine will be considered a provocation by the United States and NATO, whether or not they are capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
“Regardless of the changes made to the delivered aircraft, we will consider them as carriers of nuclear weapons and We consider this step by the United States and NATO as a deliberate provocation.“said the Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement.
Moscow has been highlighting for several years that this type of aircraft has been used in NATO’s so-called “joint nuclear missions.”
“It is expected that multipurpose F-16 aircraft of North American manufacture will emerge shortly in the Ukrainian theater of operations (…), we cannot ignore the fact that these aircraft belong to dual equipment platforms: nuclear and non-nuclear,” he says. the text.
Ukraine has been insisting for weeks on the need to accelerate the deployment of these aircraft in the face of continuous bombing by Russian forces against civilian infrastructure and their Army positions.
The coalition of Western countries that pledged a year ago to make F-16s available to kyiv includes Denmark, which plans to send the first planes this summer, Belgium, the Netherlands and Norway.
Moscow has condemned Western plans to increase arms support for kyiv and its implications for fighting in Ukraine, which could suggest new Western military threats aimed at Russia.
In particular, Moscow accuses the West of openly supporting Ukraine’s sabotage actions on Russian territory, in addition to supplying Kiev with long-range French and British missiles, and the new American ATACMS, which can reach Russian territory.
Russia says sending ATACMS missiles to Ukraine ‘won’t change’ anything
Russia also accuses the US of continuing with its plans to use short- and medium-range missiles “in various regions of the world” and adds that, when this weaponry is actually available, it will respond by lifting its own moratorium on these shipments.
The Russian EMN also denounces the statements of French President Emmanuel Macron about the possible sending of NATO contingents to Ukraine and highlights information about the presence of French Foreign Legion troops on the ground.
Russian diplomacy accuses the Western bloc of seeking “a new escalation of the Ukrainian crisis to a direct military confrontation between NATO countries and Russia” with the aim of causing a “strategic defeat” for Moscow.
This scenario, according to Moscow, justifies the order given by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Armed Forces to carry out maneuvers with tactical nuclear weapons “soon.”
Russia will carry out nuclear exercises near Ukrainian territory
If carried out, these exercises – with the participation of the Air Force and the Navy – could take place on Ukrainian territory, because the Southern Military District includes the four occupied Ukrainian regions (Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia). .
Moscow also regrets that the situation is on the verge of debacle due to the accumulation of “irrational decisions” by kyiv and its Western allies, and emphasizes that these threats are “specifically” addressed in Russia’s nuclear deterrence doctrine.
Ukraine has obtained significant financial aid and weapons from Western allies since Russia invaded the country on February 24, 2022.
kyiv’s allies have also enacted sanctions against key sectors of the Russian economy to try to diminish Moscow’s ability to finance the war effort in Ukraine.
Already in the third year of war, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have faced a lack of weapons and ammunition, despite repeated promises of help from Western allies, which now appear outdated.
Source: Observadora
