Russia threatens UK over British-made drones used in Ukrainian deep strikes

The Russian Embassy in London accused the UK of “deliberately opting for an escalation” and described Britain as an “accomplice” in Ukrainian attacks.

“London’s actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer,” the embassy said, adding that “the deeper its involvement in the conflict, the higher the price it will pay.”

The embassy did not specify what consequences Russia was threatening.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham responded by saying Britain would continue “to support Ukraine 100%.”

“We are not fair-weather friends. We will be there in Ukraine’s hour of need, and that won’t change,” Burnham said.

He said the UK was providing Ukraine with the means to defend itself and that British policy of supporting Kyiv remained unchanged.

British drones used for strikes inside Russia

A British military source confirmed to the BBC that UK-made drones had been used in recent Ukrainian attacks on targets inside Russia.

The Times previously reported that Ukrainian forces had been using British drones for deep strikes inside Russia for about six months.

Among them is the jet-powered Nyan drone developed by BAE Systems, as well as another British-made drone whose manufacturer has not been disclosed for security reasons.

According to the Times, British-made drones have been used against oil refineries near Moscow and in Yaroslavl and Volgograd. Nyan drones have also been deployed against targets in Russia’s Belgorod region.

Ukraine has stepped up long-range strikes against targets inside Russia in recent weeks, including oil infrastructure and logistics facilities.

Britain has been one of Ukraine’s major military supporters since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, supplying weapons including Storm Shadow cruise missiles and training Ukrainian troops.

Russia has repeatedly threatened the UK and other Western countries over their military support for Ukraine.

Burnham, who became UK prime minister earlier this year, made Kyiv his first international visit as prime minister in July and pledged that British support for Ukraine would continue.