Putin calls Russian attack on NATO countries “complete nonsense”, but warns against Western F-16s | Abroad

Putin gave a speech yesterday in which he said that NATO had expanded increasingly eastward into Russia since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1991. Yet he has no plans to attack any of the 32 NATO countries.

“We have no aggressive intentions with these states,” it said. “The idea that we will attack another country – Poland or the Baltic states, and the Czechs are also being frightened – is complete nonsense. It’s just nonsense.”

Delivering the promised F-16s from the West would not change the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine, he also said. However, they will “destroy the planes”. “Just as we destroy tanks, armored vehicles and other equipment today.” But if they are sent “from airports in third countries, they become legitimate targets for us.”

Ukraine has been looking for F-16s for months in their fight against Russia. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Wednesday that the first aircraft would be delivered in the coming months. Several countries, including our country, the Netherlands and Norway, have promised Ukraine to donate F-16s and train pilots.