Ukraine plans to store some F-16s abroad, Russians already vowed to target them

Ukraine's Air Force has announced that a certain number of F-16 fighter jets to be provided by its partners will be stored at secure air bases abroad to avoid becoming targets for Russian attacks. Meanwhile, Russia has said it will consider the F-16s supplied to Ukraine but stationed abroad, legitimate targets if the aircraft take part in combat missions in the war zone in Ukraine.

Source: Serhii Holubtsov, Chief of Aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force Command, in an interview with Radio Liberty; Andrei Kartapolov, Chairman of the Defence Committee of Russia's State Duma, in a comment to Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency RIA Novosti

Quote from Holubtsov: "There is a number [of aircraft] that will come to Ukraine. A certain number of aircraft will be stored at secure airbases, not in Ukraine so that they are not targeted here. This will be our reserve to replace faulty aircraft during routine maintenance, if necessary – that is, in order for us to have a certain number of aircraft in the operational fleet at all times, which will correspond to the number of pilots we will have. [If] we have more pilots, there will be more aircraft in Ukraine."

Quote from Kartapolov: "If they (the F-16s) are not used for their intended purpose, they will not be [a legitimate target for Russia's Armed Forces], but if they take part in combat missions, they certainly will be. Including the airfields on which they are based, with all the ensuing consequences."

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