The continued support of the United States and other Western countries for Ukraine has become the focus of international attention. According to the disclosure of the United States**, it is highly likely that Western-aided F-16MLU fighters have already arrived in Poland. Recently, Ukraine released a propaganda video showing scenes of the use of F-16MNLU fighters by the Ukrainian Air Force. It is obvious that the Ukrainian side has long been ready to use the F-16MLU fighters supplied by the West in response to a fierce confrontation with Russia.
Before acquiring F-16MLU fighters, Ukraine had been using fighter jets from the Soviet era, including Su-27, MiG-29, Su-22 and others. The introduction of the F-16MLU fighter will significantly increase the overall combat capability of the Ukrainian Air Force. Under Russia's long-term suppression, there are not many fighters available to the Ukrainian Air Force. As early as when Western countries pledged to provide Ukraine with fighter jets, the United Kingdom took the lead in promoting the training of the Ukrainian Air Force to ensure that they were proficient in operating F-16MLU fighter jets.
The F-16MLU is an improved model based on the F-16, which belongs to the medium-life improvement and is the main type of F-16 fighter in Europe. When Europe was updating the F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, a large number of F-16MLU fighters were decommissioned, so Western countries began to supply Ukraine with this type of fighter in an attempt to continue to support Ukraine's confrontation with Russia.
Despite the fact that the so-called "big **" in Ukraine has been temporarily interrupted at the moment, the West has not given up. By providing F-16MLU fighter jets with military aid, the West is clearly trying to increase its support for Ukraine. However, while the West is actively promoting the Ukrainian Air Force to equip it with F-16MLU fighters, Belarusian Lukashenko has publicly declared that Russia has deployed tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus and said that it is in place.
Tactical nuclear ** is a small-yield nuclear ** that can usually be carried by fighter jets or tactical surface-to-surface missiles. The United States has a large number of tactical nuclear **, the most numerous of which are B61-12 tactical nuclear bombs, which can be delivered by F-16MLU and Tornado fighters. Belgium and Germany, members of NATO, have the ability to project tactical nuclear **, which is also the authority given to them by NATO.
Belarus has publicly warned in the face of Western attempts to deter Russia by supplying F-16MLU fighter jets. Belarus and Russia began advancing the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear** in Belarus in March 2023. At the same time, Russian strategic and medium-range bombers also began to be deployed in Belarus, and MiG-31K fighters also carried out cruise missions in Belarus and had the ability to carry hypersonic missiles.
Belarus and Russia maintain an alliance and have adopted back-to-back strategic cooperation at critical moments to jointly counter threats from the West. The outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict has led the West to increase sanctions against Russia and Belarus, but it has also contributed to the further integration of the Russian-Belarusian alliance. Russia's deployment of tactical nuclear ** in Belarus provides Belarus with nuclear protection and counters NATO pressure on Belarus. Today, Belarus has enough confidence to dare to counteract NATO, and Lukashenko's statement is a manifestation of this confidence.