28th May 2023 – (Moscow) Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated in an interview on the “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin” TV show on Sunday that Western countries are waging a war against Russia in all domains, including the economy, international relations, and ownership. He urged Russia to remain focused and strong and to do what best suits their interests, be tough but open to communication to clearly express concerns and what they find unacceptable.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticised plans by Western countries to send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine as an unacceptable escalation. Lavrov added that Western political analysts have been discussing how to decolonize Russia, which means dividing the country. He hopes that sensible people will abandon their reckless support for the neo-Nazi regime created by the West.
US President Joe Biden announced on 21st May that the West will begin training Ukrainian pilots on F-16s and other fourth-generation Western combat aircraft. The move has been widely criticised by Russia as an unwarranted provocation. The tensions between Russia and Western countries have been increasing in recent years, and both sides have been engaging in a war of words and actions.