Putin Won't Start War With NATO, But Could Strike Bases Hosting F-16's

Kokavkrystallos

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Which, if say, Poland hosts F-16 and they are launched against Russia in Ukraine, Russia could bomb that base: which would be considered by NATO an attack on it's member country. So NATO starts the war by retaliating, and provokes war by hosting the F-16's.


KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin scoffed at the possibility of his country launching an attack on a NATO member, calling it “sheer nonsense,” but warned that any Western air base hosting U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets that are slated for deployment in Ukraine would be a “legitimate target” for the Kremlin’s forces.

“Their statements about our alleged intention to attack Europe after Ukraine is sheer nonsense,” Putin said late Wednesday, referring to warnings in the U.S. and Western Europe that Russia could turn its sights on other countries unless it’s stopped.

He noted that the U.S. defense budget is more than 10 times higher than Russia’s.

“In view of that, are we going to wage a war against NATO? It’s ravings,” he told military pilots during a visit to an air base.

Ukraine is awaiting the delivery of F-16s, which will increase military pressure on Russia, from its Western partners. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last year that 42 F-16s had been promised. Ukrainian pilots have been training in the West for months on how to fly the warplanes.

The F-16s require a high standard of runways and reinforced hangars to protect them from bombing attacks when they are on the ground. It’s not clear how many Ukrainian air bases can meet those requirements, and Russia would be certain to quickly target a few that could accommodate them once the jets arrive.

Putin warned Ukraine’s Western allies against providing air bases in their countries from where the F-16s could launch sorties against the Kremlin’s forces. Those bases would become a “legitimate target,” he said.

“F-16s are capable of carrying nuclear weapons, and we will also need to take that into account while organizing our combat operations,” Putin added.

Military analysts have said the arrival of F-16s won’t be a game-changer in view of Russia’s massive air force and sophisticated air defense systems, though Ukrainian officials have welcomed them as an opportunity to hit back at Russia’s air dominance.
 
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Desk trauma

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Which, if say, Poland hosts F-16 and they are launched against Russia in Ukraine, Russia could bomb that base: which would be considered by NATO an attack on it's member country. So NATO starts the war by retaliating, and provokes war by hosting the F-16's.
Anything to get pootie off the hook.
 
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wing2000

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“F-16s are capable of carrying nuclear weapons, and we will also need to take that into account while organizing our combat operations,” Putin added.

Ummm....well, Ukraine would need a nuclear weapon first.....
Just more fear-mongering by Putin.
 
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Kokavkrystallos

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...in any case, I don't think F-16's will make much of a difference at this phase of the war. Ukraine will certainly not achieve air superority with a few dozen F-16s.

Nope, and even Ukraine says that. They just think they can use them to inflict a little more damage. Putin must be thinking NATO may sneak a nuclear weapon aboard one of their craft. Or else he thinks Ukraine has some rogue nukes.
 
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SavedByGrace3

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Well... what would we do? Russian fighters based in Cuba attack US targets in the northern hemisphere?
Do you think we would sit by and do nothing?
I was eight years old when we almost had a nuclear war over a similar situation.
 
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Kokavkrystallos

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Well... what would we do? Russian fighters based in Cuba attack US targets in the northern hemisphere?
Do you think we would sit by and do nothing?
I was eight years old when we almost had a nuclear war over a similar situation.

Absolutely, and I even vaguely remember that incident.
And I'm quite sure we would hit Cuba if any attack were launched from there.
 
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SavedByGrace3

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Absolutely, and I even vaguely remember that incident.
And I'm quite sure we would hit Cuba if any attack were launched from there.
I was playing in a neighbor's yard that day. I heard my mother screaming, telling me to come home. She was well aware of what such a war would do. My father was based in Nagasaki during the occupation, building an airstrip. We lived in a town with 2 large aluminum plants. Everyone knew we were ground zero. Quite a day indeed.
 
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Hans Blaster

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Which, if say, Poland hosts F-16 and they are launched against Russia in Ukraine, Russia could bomb that base: which would be considered by NATO an attack on it's member country. So NATO starts the war by retaliating, and provokes war by hosting the F-16's.
Ukraine isn't going to fly combat sorties against Russia from bases in Poland or any other country than their own.

If Putin did attack any weapons intended for shipment to Ukraine while they were in a NATO country that would be an act of war against NATO -- and Putin knows this. This is 99% bluster and it won't stop the delivery of F-16's to Ukraine.
 
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