the President of RussiaVladimir Putin said this Friday the 16th that he could use his country’s war forces to attack F16 fighter jets supplied to the US by western nations Ukraine. This would happen even on foreign territory.
The statement was made during Putin’s participation in St. Petersburg Economic Forum. “The tanks are burning,” said the Russian president. “Many tanks were destroyed, including the Leopard [blindado alemão doado à Ucrânia]. They burn, as do the F16s. There’s no doubt about it.”
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The aircraft, also used by nations that are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato), are located in Poland, the neighboring country of Ukraine.
“But if these fighter jets are on air bases outside of Ukraine and are used in hostilities, we need to consider how and where we will be affected,” the Russian president said.
Putin’s threat is the warning sign of a possible escalation of the conflict. In the event of an attempt or even an effective attack bringing down a fighter on Polish soil or airspace, it would be understood as a direct attack on an Alliance member. Such a move would automatically activate NATO’s Article 5, which would force all 30 other members into a military response.
Vladimir Putin’s nuclear threat
Another time, the Russian President again threatened the possibility of using nuclear weapons. According to Putin, Russia can use nuclear weapons, but will not do so unless there is an existential threat to the country.
During the NATO allies’ meeting in Brussels, officials said they had seen no changes in Russia’s stance on the use of nuclear weapons. However, the installation of ballistic missiles in Belarus has raised concerns about the future of peace in Europe and the world.