Russia has warned the United Kingdom that it could face unspecified “consequences” after confirmation that British-made drones have been used in recent Ukrainian strikes against military and industrial targets inside Russia.
In a statement, the Russian embassy in the UK accused Britain of “deliberately opting for an escalation of the Ukraine crisis”, warning that “the deeper its involvement in the conflict… the higher the price it will pay”.
The embassy did not specify what measures Moscow could take, but said “London’s actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer”.
The warning comes as Ukraine has intensified its attacks deep inside Russian territory, with oil refineries, logistics facilities and other strategic sites among the targets.
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), however, reaffirmed Britain’s support for Ukraine, with a spokesperson saying the country stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Kyiv.
“Russia should be in no doubt about the resolve of this government to stand against Russian aggression, in Ukraine and against the UK and our allies,” the spokesperson said.
The MoD also said Britain remained “committed to providing the equipment Ukraine needs to defend itself against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s illegal invasion”.
The latest dispute follows confirmation from a military source that British-made drones were used in recent Ukrainian attacks on Russia.
Two British companies are known to have produced drones supplied to Kyiv. According to reports, the attacks involving the technology have contributed to significant damage to Russian economic and industrial infrastructure.
Russia has previously criticised Britain’s involvement in Ukraine’s drone programme and its supply of Storm Shadow missiles to Kyiv.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also claimed in 2024 that drones using British components and configurations had been involved in attacks on Russian territory, including an attack on a fuel depot in the Rostov region.
The latest Russian warning comes amid a major increase in Ukrainian drone attacks against targets around Moscow and other parts of Russia.
Russian officials said hundreds of drones were directed towards the Moscow region over the past two days.
Regional Governor Andrey Vorobyov said a 10-year-old girl was injured and a Wildberries warehouse was damaged during one of the attacks.
In another overnight assault, Russian authorities said about 620 drones were launched towards the area surrounding Moscow. Russian air defences reportedly destroyed more than 180 of them, although officials said several people were wounded.
Wildberries said one of its logistics facilities had “sustained minor damage”.
The attacks have increasingly focused on logistics infrastructure, energy facilities and other locations considered important to Russia’s military and economy.
The escalation has been accompanied by another wave of Russian missile and drone attacks across Ukraine.
Officials said 17 people were killed in Russian attacks, including 10 residents of the northeastern Ukrainian village of Pechenihy.
Two Russian missiles struck the centre of the village early Tuesday, hitting private homes, a café and a post office and killing 10 people, according to Ukrainian officials.
Other deaths were reported in Sumy, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, while several people were wounded in Izium near the frontline.
Kyiv also came under several waves of attacks overnight.
Britain has remained one of Ukraine’s strongest international supporters since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
In April, the UK Ministry of Defence announced plans to provide Ukraine with tens of thousands of drones, including long-range strike systems, describing the package as its largest-ever drone support commitment.
Ukraine has also developed its own long-range weapons and drone technology, including the FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile, giving Kyiv greater capacity to strike targets deep inside Russia.
Russia currently controls approximately a fifth of Ukrainian territory, while both sides continue to expand their use of drones and long-range weapons.
The latest warning from Moscow adds another layer of tension to the relationship between Russia and the UK, particularly as Britain’s military assistance to Ukraine continues to expand and Ukrainian forces increasingly conduct strikes against targets inside Russian territory.
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