F-16 fighters taking off from NATO bases to be equated to participation in Ukraine conflict

F-16 fighters taking off from air bases in Poland, Romania and Slovakia will be equated to the participation of these countries in the conflict in Ukraine, Konstantin Gavrilov, the head of the Russian delegation at negotiations on military security and arms control in Vienna said.

"This is our strict warning: Moscow will see the use of [F-16] fighters from the territory of these NATO member countries [Poland, Romania and Slovakia] as their participation in the conflict in Ukraine, and Russia will have to take retaliatory measures,” Gavrilov said, RIA Novosti reports.

According to the diplomat, the United States and its satellites no longer conceal "the aggressive nature of their policies behind the words about the defensive nature of military doctrines.” Western states continue generating security threats on Russia's western borders, the official said.