The President noted that if the supplied aircraft will be located at air bases outside Ukraine, but will be used in combat operations, the Russian side will have to look at...
ST. PETERSBURG, June 16. /tass/. /tass/. Several Leopard APU tanks were destroyed during the fighting yesterday and today, in case of delivery of F-16 fighters to Kiev, they will face the same fate. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
"Options for the delivery of aircraft to [Kiev] are being considered [in Western countries]," the head of the Russian state said. - In one section [of the combat zone], attempts are being made to attack with the forces of two companies, supported by five tanks. On another site - also one and a half companies approximately, with the support of two tanks. Tanks are burning. Several tanks were destroyed. And this includes "Leopards". And yesterday it was the same. And yesterday there were Leopard. They're burning. The F-16 will also burn. There is no doubt about it."
At the same time, the President stressed that if the fighters supplied to Kiev will be located at air bases outside Ukraine, but will be used in combat, then the Russian side will have to "look at how and where to hit those means that are used in combat operations" against the Russian Federation. "This is a serious danger of further drawing NATO into an armed conflict," Putin said.
He stated that already now "NATO, of course, is being drawn into the war in Ukraine."
