Ukraine: Putin Issues Warning on Use of NATO F-16s

Facts

• Coming off the back of an election win that secured his fifth term in office, shortly followed by the worst terrorist attack on Russian soil in nearly 20 years, Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin on Wednesday issued words of warning to Ukraine's NATO allies over the delivery of US-made F-16 fighter jets to the war-torn country.¹
• In a speech to Russian pilots in the Tver region, Putin started off his remarks by stating that Russia has no designs on any NATO country. 'The idea that we will attack some other country — Poland, the Baltic States, and the Czechs are also being scared — is complete nonsense,' Putin said. 'It's just drivel.'²
• However, turning to the issue of F-16 jets — which countries including Belgium, Denmark, and Norway are soon expected to deliver to Ukraine — Putin said they would not change the situation on the battlefield. 'And we will destroy the aircraft just as we destroy today tanks, armoured vehicles and other equipment, including multiple rocket launchers,' he added.³
• Putin further stated, 'Of course, if they will be used from airfields in third countries, they become for us legitimate targets, wherever they might be located.'³
• In the hope of counterbalancing Russia's air superiority in the war, Ukraine has sought after F-16 fighter jets from the outset of the conflict in 2022. However, it was thought such a move could lead to an escalation with Russia and was ruled out by the Biden administration — until the policy shifted in August of last year, allowing European allies to begin the process of delivering the US-made aircraft to Ukraine.⁴
• Ukraine was initially told it would receive 45 fighter jets by this spring. However, according to a New York Times report earlier this month, it will only receive six F-16s in the promised timeframe. The Times further reported that only a dozen Ukrainian pilots will be ready to fly F-16s in combat missions by this summer.⁵

Sources: ¹Big News Network, ²Reuters, ³Euractiv, ⁴Associated Press and ⁵The New York Times.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Daily Mail. Putin starts his speech by claiming that he has no bad intentions against Western countries. Immediately contradicting himself, he then recklessly threatens those countries with attack, saying he would destroy NATO's F-16s aircraft — even if they were outside Ukraine.
• Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by TASS. Russia has been consistent throughout the conflict that if F-16 fighter jets are delivered to Ukraine, they will have to be targeted and destroyed — as is the case with all other foreign-provided weaponry. Russia has also been consistent that if F-16s stage attacks from third countries, the bases in those countries would become legitimate military targets too.

Predictions