Touch a Vladimir Putin fuel a tension which, in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, risks bringing the world to a point of no return. After the threats of Polandaccording to which the Nato is reflecting on the possibility of shoot down Russian missiles that come too close to the borders of the Alliance, today it is the Russian president who hypothesizes attacks by the Federation on NATO territory. In particular, he explained, if i F-16 fighter were to be supplied to Ukraine, in case of their use the Moscow army would feel authorized to strike them even while they are inside Russian bases Atlantic Pact. This would be a foreign attack on a member country of the Alliance, a situation for which Article 5 of the Treaty requires all other allies to intervene militarily.
“If they are used by airports in third countries, they will be a problem for us legitimate objectiveno matter where they are”, were the words of the Russian president who recalled how Russia will take into account the fact that the F-16s can transport nuclear weapons. “We must take this into account when planning” combat operations, even if their use “will not change the situation on the battlefield”, since Russia “will destroy them as it is already doing with Western tanks and other weapons” . Despite this, Putin defines a “total nonsense” the accusation made by several European and Ukrainian leaders that he is planning to invade or attack even a European country: “As for the accusation that we are planning to invade Europe after Ukraine, this is complete nonsense intended solely to intimidate the population into paying them more money,” Putin said at a meeting with Russian Air Force pilots in the western region of captures. This narrative takes place “in a context of economic crisis and deterioration of living standards. They need to justify themselves, so they are intimidating their population with a potential Russian threat while trying to expand their own dictatorship to the whole world.”
The offensive on Ukraine, however, does not abate and even in the night between Wednesday and Thursday violent bombings hit various areas of the country. According to reports from the Kiev Air Force, almost all the drones launched from Moscow were shot down by the Ukrainian defense, although five missiles hit the target. Russia launched a total of 28 kamikaze drones of the type Shahed-136/131 from the region of Kursk it’s yes Capo Chuda in the Crimea annexed, 26 of which were intercepted and shot down over the regions of Odessa, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk e Zaporizhzhia. Three cruise missiles were also launched during the night Kh-22an anti-radar missile Kh-31P (of the Black Sea) and an anti-aircraft missile S-300 (from the occupied territory of Donetsk).
The one trying to limit the escalation between Russia and the allied bloc of Ukraine is the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. A firm believer in sustained support in Kiev, he maintains the belief that there are some red lines that should not be exceeded: the supply of missiles long rangewhich could be used in an offensive function, and sending European troops on Ukrainian soil. And also on Thursday he reiterated his refusal to supply cruise missiles Taurus to Kiev and to send German soldiers: “As head of government I must take responsibility for issues relating to war, peace and security in Europe. This also applies to the Taurus issue. Without prejudice to the resolute support for Ukraine, one thing is important to me, we will do our best to avoid an escalation of this war, that is, a war between Russia and NATO”. And also for this reason “we will not send our soldiers to Ukraine. And every batch of weapons we send, we carefully analyze what it means in the given context.”
The chancellor also focuses on the news circulated in the days following the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall in Moscow according to which several Western chancelleries had warned Russia of a danger of Islamist attacks. The Germaniahe states, he knew nothing about it: “Probably the American special services had leads – said Scholz – It is part of the policy of the US government United States notify other countries when they have such data. And they warned publicly. It is particularly regrettable that this heinous terrorist attack occurred.”