Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday that Western powers are “playing with fire” with the US’s recent green signal to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets.
“This is playing with fire. There is no doubt about it,” Lavrov declared in an interview on Russian television, excerpts of which were released on the social networks of the journalist who questioned him.
“This is an unacceptable escalation” “by Washington, London and their satellites within the EU (European Union)” who “want to undermine Russia,” he stressed.
According to Lavrov, through the supply of modern weapons to Kiev, the Westerners want to “give (Moscow) a strategic defeat” and “disintegrate” Russia, a term regularly used by the Russian leadership. Rhetoric.
Ukraine wanted to keep these planes
Kiev’s allies refused for more than a year to supply the fighters to the Ukrainian military for fear of escalating the conflict, but the United States finally authorized the delivery of these F-S16s on May 19. Which Kiev had demanded tirelessly.
It represented a major turning point in Western support for Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelensky calling the decision “historic”.
Before delivery of these US-built F-16s, Ukrainian pilots must first train for several months to learn how to operate them.
Ukraine wanted the Western planes to counter Russian air power as Kiev says it is preparing for a retaliatory strike.
According to US President Joe Biden, Zelensky “categorically assured him” that these fighters would not attack Russian territory, a condition for Western powers to send the equipment to Ukraine.
Last Minute
