Russian President Vladimir Putin has taunted Great Britain by stating it is a "military secret" whether his forces would target defense plants in the UK that support Ukraine.

When questioned by Russian state media channel RT about the possibility of British military industrial facilities on UK territory becoming targets, Putin responded with a smirk, "That's a secret, a military secret." He affirmed that any "British military facilities" within Ukraine are "absolutely" 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 said during a nighttime press conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, following the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

These remarks follow increasing threats from Moscow directed at British military and defense companies due to the UK's support for Ukraine. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova previously warned that "any British military installations and equipment in Ukraine and beyond its borders" could be attacked in retaliation for Ukrainian strikes using British weapons. These threats suggested potential attacks beyond Ukraine, possibly targeting British interests within the UK or in third countries.

In April, Russia's defense ministry identified 23 sites in Britain and continental Europe allegedly involved in manufacturing or supplying components for Ukrainian drones. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Putin's Security Council, declared these European facilities potential targets for the Russian armed forces.

The Russian embassy in London has also issued warnings, stating that Britain will face consequences if British-made drones are used for long-range attacks inside Russia, asserting, "The deeper its involvement, the higher the price it will pay."

Any Russian targeting of British interests could involve hybrid tactics such as sabotage, cyberattacks, or the use of proxies, rather than direct attacks that might trigger NATO's collective-defense provisions.

Putin's comments come as he claims Russia is winning the war in Ukraine. He acknowledged that Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian facilities, including refineries, have caused damage but stated that Russia is advancing on the battlefield and anticipates that "the enemy will crumble." He dismissed rumors of a new military mobilization as "utter nonsense."

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Ukraine's drones will make Russia's airspace "completely unsafe" for the duration of the war. He stated that while Ukraine does not target civilian aviation, "there will simply be drones in Russia's skies on a scale that has to be taken into account."

Putin responded to Zelensky's remarks by calling them a "declaration of state terrorism" and stated that negotiations are not conducted with terrorists.

These escalating tensions follow recent Russian missile and drone strikes that killed at least 12 people in Kyiv and the surrounding region. Zelensky indicated that Ukraine's actions are a response to such attacks, stating, "The safe days in Russia's skies are over."

Four and a half years into the conflict, Russia controls approximately one-fifth of Ukraine. Putin claimed significant Russian advances in the Donetsk region in August and stated that Moscow's forces are preparing for large-scale strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Despite the hardened stances, Putin reiterated Russia's openness to talks aimed at ending the war, not just freezing it, and expressed willingness to engage with representatives of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

"If someone makes, or can make, a tangible contribution to this process, we are all in favour," Putin said. "The only thing we would want to avoid is the process spinning its wheels pointlessly."