Russia might provoke man-made catastrophe by attacking nuclear energy facilities

The AFU Air Force spokesman colonel Yuriy Ihnat stated this.

Ihnat emphasized that the West needs to understand that Ukraine requires F-16 aircraft not only to cover the front line and gain air superiority, but also to safeguard critical infrastructure, including five nuclear energy facilities.

He recalled that the enemy had repeatedly attacked some of the nuclear power plants, and Russian missiles flew close to them, posing a risk of a man-made disaster that would not only impact Ukraine but also the wider region. Therefore, Ukraine's partners must be continually reminded of the need for F-16 aircraft that can shoot down enemy munitions such as Kalibr missiles and Shahed drones.

• On January 26, Politico reported that Ukraine's international partners had begun a debate on supplying modern fighter jets to the Armed Forces.

• On January 25, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov had stated that fighter jets were on Ukraine's "wish list" for Western-supplied weapons. 

• The Air Force had previously explained the need for F-16 fighters, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, had met with the Chief of the Joint Staff of the French Army, General Thierry Burkhard, in Ukraine, requesting F-16 fighter jets.