Media reported on Wednesday that the first batch of several F-16s had been delivered to Ukraine and had already made the first flights in an "air defense" capacity. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said earlier on Thursday that Kiev would not comment on reports about the arrival of F-16 fighters.
"The problem is in escalation, the problem is that there are no restraints left. American assurances that no such decisions have been made and no indulgences have been given to Kiev, these assurances are worthless, we do not believe what we hear from Washington on the matter. We see opposite things in practice, it needs to stop, it should be understood that the price of all this will be further growth of tensions, new losses, new tragedies," Ryabkov said in a televised appearance on the Rossiya 1 broadcaster.
The Russian diplomat added that no Western equipment, including the delivery of the NATO-supplied F-16s, will not change the situation in the special military operation area for Ukraine.
He reiterated that any means and forces used against Russia during its special military operation in Ukraine are legitimate targets for the Russian military.