Russia warns Ukraine's F-16s to be treated as nuclear threat

Last week, Ukraine's military announced plans to kickstart operations with the newly acquired US-made jets as early as Monday. Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Ilya Yevlash assured readiness for combat post-Orthodox Easter, which fell on Sunday.

These F-16s, sourced from Western allies such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium, signify a vital upgrade to Ukraine's aging air fleet, primarily composed of Soviet-era aircraft depleted from over two years of relentless combat, as reported by Newsweek.

However, Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a stern warning on Monday, stressing the potential nuclear delivery capability of these aircraft. The statement emphasized Russia's firm stance, irrespective of any modifications made to the jets, considering them as nuclear-capable and viewing their supply as a deliberate provocation by the United States and NATO.

The Russian government contends that French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal of NATO troop intervention in the Russia-Ukraine conflict implies a deliberate effort by the West to escalate the crisis into a full-fledged military confrontation between NATO and Russia, as per Russian-state news agency Sputnik.

While President Joe Biden and the majority of NATO allies have dismissed the notion of deploying troops to Ukraine for combat purposes, reaffirming no American soldiers' involvement in the conflict during Biden's recent State of the Union address, Russia remains steadfast in its stance. This warning echoes previous statements by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, reiterating concerns over the perceived nuclear threat posed by the F-16s within Ukraine's operational fleet.