Russia warns UK of consequences over use of British drones in attacks on Russian territory

A newspaper report that Ukrainian forces have used British drones on Russian territory has prompted a sharp response from Moscow. The Russian embassy in London described the development as an affront, accusing Britain of becoming an "accomplice and accessory" to the attacks.

Moscow Warns of "Consequences"

Following the report, Russia warned the UK government of "consequences," stating that London would have to "answer" for its military cooperation with Ukraine and pay a "price." The statement was issued by the Russian embassy in London.

A British government spokesman dismissed the threats late Monday night, reaffirming that the UK would continue to support Ukraine.

Drone Use Reported by "Sunday Times"

The controversy stems from a report in the Sunday Times, which claimed that Ukrainian forces had used British drones for attacks deep inside Russian territory. According to the newspaper, drones manufactured by two British companies and delivered to Ukraine were employed in strikes on military and industrial targets within Russia.

The Russian embassy responded on Monday evening, stating:

"The deeper the entanglement in the conflict and the greater the support for Kyiv's terror apparatus, the higher the price to be paid will be."

It further accused Britain of being "deliberately set on an escalation" of the conflict "while hypocritically expressing a desire for peace."

Britain Rejects Russian Accusations

The UK government immediately rejected the embassy's statement. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said:

"Britain remains determined to provide the equipment that Ukraine needs to defend against Putin's illegal invasion. Russia should have no doubt about this government's determination to stand up to Russian aggression."

Germany Also Responds to Russian Threats

On Monday, the German federal government also rejected threats from Russia directed at Ukraine's supporters. A Foreign Office spokeswoman stated:

"The threats and statements towards EU or NATO partners are nothing new. We take note of them, we will not be intimidated by them – and we will not be intimidated in our support for Ukraine either."

The spokeswoman was referring to remarks made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday, in which he said:

"We will sharply intensify our methods to destroy everything that feeds Kyiv's war machine from the West. And we are already doing this."

Lavrov's statements also drew attention in connection with a recent drone incident at Leipzig/Halle airport.

AFP/luwi