Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned his country must bear in mind that the F-16 fighter jets the West will deliver to Ukraine are designed to be capable of nuclear strikes. “The leaders of the United States and other Western countries can expect anything. They are already proving it, and after advanced long-range weapons and tanks, they are now seriously preparing the F-16. Some say two squadrons will be transferred, others Says there will be eight. They are preparing to continue escalating the war they are waging against us,” he said. Regarding the F-16, he added: “There is a lot of discussion about where these planes will take off from. Our Armed Forces and the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces fully understand this and report it to the Supreme Commander. We must bear in mind that, One of the variants of the F-16 is capable of delivering nuclear weapons. If they do not understand this, they are worthless as military strategists and planners.” Alexey Reznikov’s statement coincided with the confirmation that the F-16 would not be able to take part in Kiev’s recent offensive against Russia.
Lavrov’s comments on the F-16 came as Ukrainian and Polish allied militia forces launched a massive invasion of Russian territory, with missile and drone strikes from Ukraine extending the war further east. The F-16 is a single-engine lightweight fourth-generation fighter that first entered service with the U.S. Air Force in 1978. The Pentagon stopped purchasing it 18 years ago in 2005, and the fleet began to shrink in 2010. the basic Cold War variant with a mechanically scanned array radar that Ukraine is expected to receive is considered obsolete for high-intensity engagements, raising serious questions about their effectiveness and potential reputational damage if they were deployed in Ukraine . The United States was initially reluctant to provide fighter jets, but reversed its position in late May under intense pressure from Europe. The F-16 and its successor, the F-35, are designed to be capable of delivering a nuclear strike, often using the B61 tactical warhead, and F-16 units deployed by U.S. European allies Belgium and the Netherlands are also specially trained to use nuclear weapons as part of core sharing agreement with the United States.Russia has repeatedly warned in the past that Ukraine may try to regain a nuclear weapon, or at least a dirty bomb, citing statement Several Ukrainian officials have expressed such intentions.