Russia warns UK of retaliation over British-made drones used by Ukraine
The Russian embassy in London warned that the United Kingdom could face consequences for supplying drones that Ukraine has used in attacks on Russian territory, while British officials said support for Kyiv will continue.
Russia’s embassy in London issued a statement on Monday saying that Britain would “inevitably carry consequences” for providing drones that have been employed in long-range strikes inside Russian territory. The diplomatic note accused London of escalating the conflict and acting as an “accomplice and co-perpetrator” of attacks.
Former Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Fedorov told the BBC that the “consequences” could include direct attacks, adding that many Kremlin advisers believe NATO would not intervene if Russia struck the UK. He also suggested that U.S. President Donald Trump might prevent a NATO response.
Ukraine has stepped up drone assaults on Russian targets, including oil refineries, logistics facilities and warehouses of the retailer Wildberries, according to Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. An investigation by a UK newspaper linked the drones to components supplied by two British firms.
The United Kingdom has supplied Ukraine with a large package of drones – at least 120,000 in April and a further 150,000 pledged by 2026 – as well as tanks, cruise missiles and air-defence systems. British Defence Minister Andy Burnham reaffirmed that the UK will continue to support Ukraine “100 percent” despite the warning, and Work and Pensions Minister Lilian Greenwood said the UK will stand “shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine”.
Russia has not specified the nature of the threatened “consequences”, but analysts note possible options such as targeting British military or intelligence assets abroad or increasing cyber-operations. NATO’s collective defence provisions, including Article 5 and Article 4, were referenced in discussions about the potential response to any Russian action against the UK.