The Kremlin has announced that if the West supplied Lockheed Martin F-16 "Fighting Falcon" warplanes to Ukraine, and these were then used by Kiev against Russia, Moscow's armed forces would launch a military operation to destroy these aircraft even if they were in airports of member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

"If they are used by airports in third countries, they will be a legitimate target for us: no matter where they are". "We have to take this into account when planning" combat operations. The possible supply of F-16s to Ukraine "will not change the situation on the battlefield", as Russia "will destroy them as it is already doing with Western tanks and other weapons", said Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It was reported by the Russian state news agency "Tass", which relaunched the words of the head of the Kremlin pronounced on the occasion of a meeting between the president and the pilots of the Russian Air Force, which took place in the last few hours in the western region of Tver. Putin then warned the West that Moscow will take into account the fact that F-16 aircraft can carry nuclear weapons.