The supply of American F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv poses a "serious danger" of further involvement of NATO in the armed conflict between russia and Ukraine, russian dictator vladimir putin said on Friday, speaking at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
Source. This was reported by The Moscow Times.
According to him, the russian military is ready to burn airplanes, as well as Leopard tanks, which, according to the assurances of the russian Defense Ministry, have already been destroyed at least eight units.
At the same time, as follows from putin's statements, moscow does not rule out strikes on the territory of NATO countries if the fighters are deployed at their bases.
"If they (the F-16s) are deployed at air bases abroad and used in combat operations, russia will see how and where we can strike the assets used in combat operations against us," putin said.
So far, at least five European countries-Belgium, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway-have privately indicated that they are ready to provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with F-16s, and two, the Netherlands and Poland, have already begun training Ukrainian pilots.
The United States, which has long opposed the transfer of combat aircraft to Kyiv, has given the go-ahead to supply fighter jets that are in service with NATO countries.
According to the British International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), these countries are capable of providing at least 125 F-16 fighters in full combat readiness. Kyiv is asking for 24 to 36 such aircraft.