The F16 fighter jets sent to Ukraine are viewed by Russia as a “nuclear” threat due to their ability to carry nuclear weapons, Moscow’s chief diplomat Sergei Lavrov said in an interview published on Thursday.
“We will consider the fact that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have such systems as a nuclear threat to the West,” Lavrov said in an interview with the online newspaper Lenta.ru, quoted by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“Russia cannot ignore the ability of these planes to carry nuclear weapons,” said the head of Russian diplomacy, before announcing that Moscow had warned the United States, the United Kingdom and France.
“The United States and its NATO satellites pose a risk of direct armed confrontation with Russia, and the consequences could be catastrophic,” the minister said.
The US government long rejected Ukraine’s request to send in F16 fighter jets to prevent the conflict from escalating, but gave in to Kiev’s urging in May.
The delivery schedule for the USmade aircraft and the exact number of fighters delivered have yet to be announced.
Ukraine on Tuesday announced it would form a “coalition” of 11 countries to train its pilots in the F16 fighter jets.