Lavrov:
Delivery of nuclear-capable F-16s to Kyiv threat from West
Russian Foreign Minister says that Moscow will consider the delivery of nuclear-capable F-16s to Kyiv as a threat from the West, adding that the US and its NATO allies are creating risks of direct confrontation with Russia.
MEHR: Russian Foreign Minister says that Moscow will consider the delivery of nuclear-capable F-16s to Kyiv as a threat from the West, adding that the US and its NATO allies are creating risks of direct confrontation with Russia.
Sergey Lavrov said that there would be no reason to talk about the use of nuclear weapons by Russia if the West does not make decisions that create strategic risks.
Lavrov also recalled that the conditions for the use of nuclear weapons are clearly defined in Russia’s military doctrine.
"At the same time, I would like to draw attention to the fact that the United States and its NATO subordinates create risks of a direct armed clash with Russia, and this could result in catastrophic consequences," Lavrov said in an interview with Russian media.
In addition, Lavrov called the US plans to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets "just one example of extremely dangerous development of events."
"We have informed the nuclear powers - the United States, the United Kingdom and France - that Russia cannot ignore the ability of these aircraft to carry nuclear weapons," Lavrov said.
Sputnik quoted Lavrov as saying that Russian soldiers will not be sorting out if certain jets are nuclear capable or not during combat.
"The very fact of the appearance of such systems [F-16s] in the armed forces of Ukraine will be considered by us as a threat from the West in the nuclear sphere," Lavrov said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's top aide has said Kyiv hoped to receive the first supply of F-16 fighter jets from Western countries by the end of 2023. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in June that the alliance would begin the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets this summer.
