Russia Warns F-16s to Ukraine Will 'Escalate' Conflict

Facts

• On Monday, Russia's ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, described the latter's decision to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets as 'an escalation of the conflict,' adding, 'Such a position pushes Ukraine into the abyss and condemns its people to new victims.'¹
• The warning comes after the Netherlands and Denmark on Sunday pledged to provide Kyiv with F-16s once the training of Ukrainian pilots had been satisfactorily completed.²
• Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said her country would provide 19 jets — 'hopefully' six around New Year, eight in 2024, and the remaining five in 2025 — 'as a token of Denmark's unwavering support' for Ukraine's fight for freedom.³
• However, Danish Defense Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen asserted Ukraine could only use its F-16s to drive the enemy out of the territory. He added: 'It's important that they will be used for self-defense in Ukraine. The idea is so that the planes are not used for an attack on Russia.'⁴
• Though the Netherlands didn't reveal how many jets it would provide, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the country currently possesses 42 F-16s that could soon be replaced by the more modern F-35 jets.³
• Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who visited both countries on Sunday, described their decision to deliver F-16s to Kyiv as 'historic' and 'the most important' one yet.⁵

Sources: ¹Barrons, ²Newsweek, ³Guardian, ⁴Tass and ⁵CNN.

Narratives

• Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by Tass. The West's transfer of F-16 jets to Ukraine demonstrates that the US and its allies aim to prolong the conflict further and have no intention of reaching a peace settlement. Russia considers the F-16s a nuclear threat because of their capacity to carry atomic weapons.

Predictions