Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that if F-16 fighter jets equipped to Ukraine by its Western allies operated from airfields in different nations, the bases can be “professional targets” for assault.
However in a speech to Russian Air Power pilots late Wednesday, Putin dismissed options by some Western leaders that Russia was planning to invade NATO nations as “full nonsense.”
The menace that Russia may transfer towards different nations has grow to be one of many essential arguments utilized by the Ukrainian authorities and its supporters to attempt to persuade the USA to ship extra navy assist to the nation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned once more in an interview with CBS Information printed on Thursday that struggle “might come to Europe and the USA of America.”
“It might come in a short time to Europe,” Mr. Zelensky mentioned.
On the United Nations on Thursday, Russia vetoed a decision that will have prolonged UN oversight of sanctions linked to North Korea’s nuclear program, sparking accusations from Western nations that it’s working to maintain an arms pipeline open for North Koreans to make use of in Ukraine. . .
The Russian vote – a reversal of its earlier assist for the surveillance program – drew condemnation from world leaders. In the USA, White Home nationwide safety spokesman John Kirby described it as a “reckless act” that illustrates the rising ties between Pyongyang and Moscow.
The vote got here a day after Putin visited the regional metropolis of Torzhuk within the Tver area, north of Moscow, the place he inspected a coaching middle for Russian navy pilots.
Talking with the pilots, Putin mentioned that Russia spends on its military solely a small fraction of what the USA spends. “Given this distinction, fears that Moscow will battle NATO are simply nonsense,” he mentioned.
Mr. Putin additionally repeated his argument that NATO growth within the wake of the Soviet collapse was the principle purpose for his choice to assault Ukraine in 2022.
“Have we crossed the ocean and approached the USA border?” Requested. “No, they’re those approaching us, they usually have reached our borders.”
However Putin left the door open to an expanded battlefield when Ukraine’s allies made the choice to equip it with US-made F-16 fighter jets.
“F16s also can carry nuclear weapons, and we must take this under consideration whereas organizing our fight operations,” Mr. Putin mentioned.
On the United Nations on Thursday, Russia vetoed a decision that will have prolonged UN oversight of sanctions linked to North Korea’s nuclear program, sparking accusations from Western nations that it’s working to maintain an arms pipeline open for North Koreans to make use of in Ukraine. . .
Ukraine additionally performed a big function within the Kremlin’s response to the terrorist assault that killed a minimum of 143 folks final week at a live performance corridor outdoors Moscow.
Shortly after the assault, Putin and different Russian officers, with out proof, portrayed Ukraine because the attainable mastermind behind the assault. Putin finally admitted that the assault was “dedicated by Islamist extremists,” however caught to the declare that Ukraine might have ordered it.
On Thursday, persevering with on this vein, Russia’s Investigative Committee, the nation’s equal of the FBI, mentioned in an announcement that it had “obtained proof” that the attackers have been “linked to Ukrainian nationalists,” with out specifying what that proof was.
Investigators mentioned that they had “confirmed knowledge indicating that the perpetrators of the terrorist assault obtained massive sums of cash and cryptocurrencies from Ukraine, which have been utilized in making ready the crime.” Additionally they mentioned that one other individual has been arrested in reference to the assault and can seem in courtroom quickly.
The Ukrainian authorities denied any involvement within the assault. The US and different Western governments have repeatedly mentioned that ISIS – which itself has issued two claims of accountability – was behind the assault and that Ukraine was not concerned.
With 74 victims of the live performance corridor assault nonetheless in hospital, Mr. Putin has but to go to them or go to the positioning of the assault. Dimitri S. mentioned: Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, mentioned on Thursday that Putin was closely concerned in rescue efforts on the evening of the assault, and that visiting the assault web site would hamper their work.
Emin Agalarov, an government with the live performance corridor’s proprietor, Crocus Group, on Thursday defended how his employees dealt with the assault and its aftermath, together with a fireplace within the corridor, and the constructing’s compliance with hearth security and safety necessities. Chatting with state tv, Mr. Agalarov mentioned the hearth and different emergency methods have been working usually and allowed hundreds of individuals to evacuate the constructing.