Despite this, the Russian President has also recently dismissed fears that Russia would attack NATO countries as “drivel”.
According to Lt Col Paasikivi, these threats and warnings from Putin are all part of the Kremlin’s narrative that the West is the aggressor in the conflict and Russia is the victim.
He told The Mirror.: “For Putin, it is important to constantly present the West as the major threat to the domestic audience. The West’s so-called nuclear threat is at the centre of the entire Russian narrative.
Putin has repeatedly talked about the possibility of nuclear war since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
He’s said more than once that he might use nuclear weapons if things go too far.
But now, Putin is saying something new that could tell us what he and his military leaders are really afraid of.
Lt Paasikivi added: “The same threats have been made in the past, but to so explicitly identify the F-16s and strike targets in the West is new.”
Putin is worried about Ukraine getting F-16 fighter jets as this could eliminate Moscow’s advantage in the air.
While Putin warns against the delivery of the aircraft, Ukrainian pilots are training for when the F-16 jets arrive.
Countries like Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium have said they will give Ukraine 45 military planes, and this number might go up to 60 by the end of the year.
