Lavrov says Russia sees as 'nuclear threat' US-made F-16 jets in Ukraine

Russia has warned that it will regard as a 'nuclear threat' the US-made F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine since the warplanes are capable of carrying atomic weapons.

In remarks on Thursday, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned against a purported plan by the United States to transfer F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, although Washington has not yet given the green light to any country to supply them.

"Russia cannot ignore the ability of these aircraft to carry nuclear weapons. No amount of assurances will help here," Lavrov was quoted as saying by the Russian foreign ministry.

“In the course of combat operations, our servicemen are not going to sort out whether each particular aircraft of this type is equipped to deliver nuclear weapons or not," Russia's top diplomat added.

Poland, the Netherlands and Denmark are leading a plan to train Ukrainian pilots on using the US-made aircraft as part of an 11-nation coalition. The program will reportedly begin in Denmark in August after the US authorizes the move.

"We will regard the very fact that the Ukrainian armed forces have such systems as a threat from the West in the nuclear sphere," Lavrov further said.

He had raised the same alert last month, warning against sending the advanced American warplane to the ex-Soviet republic by the Western countries.

"We must keep in mind that one of the modifications of the F-16 has the capability to deliver nuclear weapons. If they do not understand this, then they are worthless as military strategists and planners," Lavrov said on June 6.

Initially, US President Joe Biden had said his country would not provide Ukraine with the jets. Back in May, however, he told leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries in Japan that Washington was prepared to help train the Ukrainian pilots of F-16 fighter jets.

Ukraine, which largely operates aged Soviet-era warplanes, has placed the US-made F-16 at the top of its wish list.

G7 offers Ukraine wide-ranging security package at NATO summit

G7 countries have offered Ukraine a long-term security package at the NATO summit as Kiev strives to join the military bloc.

Russia vows response as NATO 'returns' to Cold War ‘schemes’

In a statement on Thursday, Russia's foreign ministry said Moscow is quite prepared to respond to the threats by "all means" necessary because the US-led NATO, as the military alliance, has returned to "Cold War schemes."

The ministry further stressed that the outcome of the NATO meeting would be "carefully analyzed" for the threats posed to the security of the Russian Federation.

"Taking into account the challenges and threats to Russia’s security and interests that have been identified, we will respond in a timely and appropriate manner, using all means and methods at our disposal," the statement further read.

The Kremlin's strong reaction came just a day after Biden said at the end of the NATO summit in Lithuania on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had a “craven lust for land and power” and that he had badly misjudged the resolve of NATO's support of Ukraine.

The US president said at the end of the two-day summit in Vilnius that when Putin launched the military operation in Ukraine “he was betting NATO would break apart … But he thought wrong.”

“NATO is stronger, more energized and yes, more united than ever in its history. Indeed, more vital to our shared future,” the American leader added.

Since the beginning of the Ukraine war, US media have regularly reported on the weapons shipments sent by the US to boost Kiev's fighting forces, with other NATO members delivering tens of billions in military aid, as well.

By January, the US and its allies had provided Ukraine with over 100 million rounds of small arms ammunition, over a million rounds of artillery shells, and more than 100,000 tank rounds.

Russia sees the flooding of Ukraine with weapons from the West as a futile effort to change the outcome of the war. Moscow says supplying Kiev with more weapons will only add to the death and destruction and prolong the conflict. 

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