President Vladimir Putin has stated that Russia has no plans for any North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) country and will not attack Poland, the Baltic States or the Czech Republic, but if the West supplies F-16 fighters to Ukraine, they will be shot down by Russian forces.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 triggered the deepest crisis in Russia's relations with the West since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.
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,” said Putin, according to a Kremlin transcript released this Thursday (28).
“The idea that we will attack another country – Poland, the Baltic States and the Czechs are also scared – is complete nonsense. It’s just nonsense.”
The Kremlin, which accuses the US of fighting Russia by supporting Ukraine with money, weapons and intelligence, says relations with Washington have probably never been worse.
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 are talking about it and apparently training pilots, it will not change the situation on the battlefield,” Putin said.
“And we will destroy the aircraft just as we destroy tanks, armored personnel carriers and other equipment today, including multiple rocket launchers.”
Putin said the F-16 could also carry nuclear weapons.
“It is clear that if they are used at airports in third countries, they will become legitimate targets for us, wherever they are located,” Putin said.
Putin's comments followed comments made earlier in the day by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba that the aircraft was expected to arrive in Ukraine in the coming months.
Ukraine, more than two years into an all-out war against Russia, has been seeking F-16 fighters for many 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.
Conflict with Moscow
NATO's activity in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea area aims to prepare its allies for conflict with Moscow, which creates additional risks for Russia's security, the RIA news agency cited the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying on Thursday. -fair.
The ministry was commenting on Romania's plans to expand a military air base in the municipality of Constance.
(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge in Moscow and Ron Popeski; Editing by Sandra Maler and Michael Perry; with additional information from Reuters)
Source: CNN Brasil
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