“West’s Attempt to Weaken Russia: Delivery of F-16s to Kiev Represents a Historical Turning Point”

“It is an unacceptable escalation” led by “Washington, London and their satellites within the EU” who want to “weaken Russia”, he argued. According to him, through the delivery of modern armaments to Kiev, the West wants to “inflict (on Moscow) a strategic defeat” and “dismember” Russia, a rhetoric regularly used by Russian leaders.

“Historical” turning point

Supporters of Kiev had refused for more than a year to supply fighter planes to the Ukrainian army for fear of an escalation of the conflict, but the United States finally gave the green light on May 19 to authorize the delivery of these F-16s that Kiev tirelessly demanded. This represents a major turning point in Western support for kyiv and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the decision “historic”.

The delivery schedule of these American-made F-16s and their number have not yet been decided, and Ukrainian pilots must first be trained for several months to learn how to handle them. But Ukraine wanted to have these Western planes to counter Russian power in the air and hit the rear lines of Moscow’s troops, when Kiev says it is completing its preparations for a major counter-offensive.