Russia threatened the United Kingdom with consequences after it was confirmed that British drones had been used in recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory. Prime Minister Andy Burnham responded by saying that London would continue to support Ukraine 100%.
This was reported by BBC.
The Russian embassy in the United Kingdom accused London of “deliberately opting for an escalation of the Ukraine crisis” and said that “the deeper its involvement in the conflict, the higher the price it will pay”.
“We are not fair-weather friends, we will be there in Ukraine’s hour of need and that won’t change,” Burnham said.
Responding to Moscow’s threats, the prime minister said Britain was providing support “so that Ukraine can defend itself”, adding that this position had remained unchanged under previous British prime ministers.
Ukraine has recently intensified strikes on targets in Moscow and other areas deep inside Russia, including oil refineries and logistics facilities belonging to Russia’s largest online retailer, Wildberries.
A military source confirmed to the BBC that British drones were used in recent attacks on Russia. According to figures cited in the report, these strikes caused more than £35 billion in damage to the Russian economy.
Two British companies are known to have manufactured drones supplied to Ukraine. In April, the UK Ministry of Defence announced that it would provide Ukraine with tens of thousands of drones, including long-range strike systems, as part of what was then its largest package of military aid.
Late last month, during a visit with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to a British naval base, Burnham said Ukraine “can count on the UK for as long as it takes”. He also announced plans to provide Kyiv with Stone Cloak technology, which enables electronic jamming of Russian air defences.
