Russia Warns British Military Facilities Could Become Targets Over Ukraine Aid
Russia warned that British military facilities could become targets if London continues supplying weapons to Ukraine used in strikes on Russian territory, following a diplomatic protest.
Russia threatened on Friday that British military facilities could become targets for attack, amid London's continued military support for Ukraine. According to a report in The Times, the Russian warning refers to British facilities in Ukraine and even beyond, should they be used to carry out strikes against Russian territory.
Official Protest and Diplomatic Escalation
The threat was conveyed as part of an official protest lodged by Moscow with the charge d'affaires of the British Embassy in Russia, Danae Dulasakia. The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned her following what it termed a "further escalation" of British weapons supplies to Kyiv.
A statement issued by the ministry in Moscow claimed that by transferring additional weaponry to Ukraine, "London places itself in the position of an accomplice to the bloody atrocities of the Kyiv regime, which can only be defined as terrorism and war crimes." Russia held Britain responsible for any potential escalation and warned of the consequences regarding the use of British weapons in strikes inside its territory.
British Aid and Long-Range Capabilities
The Times reported that the Russian protest concerns, among other things, the transfer of British missiles and drones to Ukraine. Moscow has previously expressed fury over the use of British-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles to strike targets in Russia and territories under its control. The report emphasized that if weapons supplied by London are used once again for such attacks, Russia may view British military assets as legitimate targets.
"London places itself in the position of an accomplice to the bloody atrocities of the Kyiv regime," stated the Russian Foreign Ministry.
This development comes after Britain announced an additional allocation of 100 million pounds sterling to strengthen Ukraine's air defense systems during the winter. The aid includes support for interception systems and missile and drone defense capabilities. Alongside this, London committed to supplying Ukraine with tens of thousands of drones of various types and assisting it in developing long-range strike capabilities.
Britain, for its part, reiterated that it will continue to stand by Ukraine and provide it with the military equipment necessary for its defense. Relations between London and Moscow are at a deep low, and Russia currently has no serving ambassador in Britain following the departure of the previous ambassador, Andrei Kelin, in July.
