Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared it a "military secret" whether the United Kingdom's defense manufacturing facilities, including drone makers, could become targets.
Putin's remarks came during a nighttime press conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, following the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. When asked by the Russian state propaganda channel RT if British military industrial facilities on British territory could become targets, Putin responded with a smirk, stating, "That's a secret, a military secret."
He unequivocally confirmed that any "British military facilities" within Ukraine are legitimate targets. "If there are, then absolutely, I can confirm once again: any military facilities in Ukraine are our legitimate target, British or otherwise," Putin stated.
These comments follow a series of increasingly bold threats from Moscow regarding the UK's support for Ukraine. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had previously warned that "any British military installations and equipment in Ukraine and beyond its borders" could face retaliatory attacks for Ukrainian strikes on Russia using British weaponry.
The heightened rhetoric coincided with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham's agreement to supply Kyiv with classified blueprints for Storm Shadow missiles, enabling their production in Ukraine. Zakharova's warnings implied potential attacks not only within Ukraine but also against British interests domestically or in third countries, such as British troops stationed in Estonia.
In April, Russia's defense ministry had identified 23 sites in Britain and continental Europe allegedly involved in producing drones for Ukraine or supplying their components. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, had previously declared these European facilities as "potential targets for the Russian armed forces."
The Russian embassy in London has also cautioned that Britain would face repercussions if British-made drones were used for long-range attacks inside Russia, stating, "The deeper its involvement, the higher the price it will pay."
Experts suggest that Russian targeting could involve hybrid tactics such as sabotage, cyberattacks, or the use of proxies rather than direct military strikes, which could invoke NATO's collective defense clauses.
During his address, Putin asserted that Russia is making advances on the battlefield, claiming Russian troops captured 270 square kilometers of the Donetsk region in August and surrounded Ukrainian forces. He also stated that Moscow's forces are preparing for significant strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Conversely, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Ukrainian drones would make Russian airspace "completely unsafe" for the duration of the war. "The sky over Russia is currently for drones... as long as the war continues," Zelensky said in his nightly address, though he emphasized that Ukraine does not target civilian aviation.
Putin responded to Zelensky's statement by calling it a "declaration of state terrorism," questioning negotiations with terrorists. These hardening stances come after recent Russian missile and drone strikes in Kyiv and the surrounding region killed at least 12 people.
Despite the escalating tensions and claims of advances, Putin also expressed openness to talks aimed at ending, rather than freezing, the war, and reiterated Russia's willingness to engage with representatives of former US President Donald Trump.
"If someone makes, or can make, a tangible contribution to this process, we are all in favour," Putin said, adding that Russia seeks to avoid a pointless continuation of the conflict.