Russia has no plans for any NATO country and will not attack Poland, the Baltic States or the Czech Republic, but if the West supplies Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, then they will be shot down by Russian forces, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday. Wednesday night.
Speaking to Russian air force pilots, Putin said the U.S.-led military alliance has expanded east toward Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, but that Moscow has no plans to attack a NATO state.
“We have no aggressive intentions towards these states,” Putin said, according to a Kremlin transcript released on Thursday, March 28. “The idea that we will attack other countries – Poland, the Baltic States and the Czechs is also complete nonsense. It’s just nonsense.”
Asked about the F-16 fighter jets that the West promised to send to Ukraine, Putin said such aircraft would not change the situation in Ukraine. “If they supply F-16s, and they’re talking about it and apparently training pilots, it’s not going to change the situation on the battlefield. And we will destroy the aircraft just as we destroyed tanks, armored personnel carriers and other equipment today, including several rocket launchers,” Putin declared.
“It is clear that if they are used from airfields of third countries, they will become legitimate targets for us, wherever they are located”, concluded the Russian dictator.
Putin’s comments followed comments made earlier in the day by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba that F-16 fighter jets were expected to arrive in Ukraine in the coming months.
Belgium, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands are among the countries that have committed to donating F-16s. A coalition of countries has promised to help train Ukrainian pilots in its use.
On the Kremlin’s official social network, photos were posted of Putin’s visit to the 344th Combat Application and Requalification Center of the Flight Staff (Army Aviation Major) of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The Russian dictator examined samples of military aircraft equipment, air attack vehicles and praised the new Russian SU-57 fighters.
