Russia labels Ukraine’s F-16 jets nuclear threat, warns against French involvement

Tensions are mounting as French President Emmanuel Macron suggested to The Economist that he might send troops to Ukraine if Russia breaks through the front lines. Macron warned that a Russian victory could prompt further aggression in Europe. In response, Russia has stated that any French soldiers deployed would be considered legitimate targets.

Amid these rising tensions, Russia has reiterated its warning that Ukraine’s newly acquired F-16 fighter jets will be viewed as a “nuclear-capable” threat. The Russian Foreign Ministry has described the deployment of F-16s as a “purposeful provocation” by the U.S. and NATO, cautioning that any aggression towards Crimea could lead to severe retaliation.

The F-16 jets — provided by Western allies to update Ukraine’s aging Soviet-era fleet — aim to boost Ukraine’s military capabilities with longer range and improved maneuverability. The jets will be compatible with U.S. weaponry previously supplied to Ukraine, such as the AIM-9M Sidewinder missile and the AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile, which target enemy radar equipment.

Ukraine’s military, which has been training with the F-16s since November of last year, plans to deploy them soon. Despite the Fighting Falcon’s capability to be outfitted with nuclear weapons, Ukraine does not possess a nuclear arsenal. Currently, there is no indication that nuclear-armed nations plan to arm Ukraine with such weapons.

However, former U.S. military pilots are skeptical about the impact of F-16 jets on the conflict, noting that Russia has deployed advanced air-defense systems like the S-400, which pose a significant challenge to the F-16s, beyond those encountered in past conflicts.

According to the open-source intelligence site Oryx, which verifies losses with visual evidence, Ukraine has lost at least 85 combat aircraft since the invasion began.