Russia has warned the United Kingdom of repercussions for supplying drones to Ukraine that have been used in strikes against targets within Russia. The Russian Embassy to the UK stated that London is "deliberately opting for an escalation of the Ukraine crisis" and acting as an "accomplice and co-perpetrator of the bloody crimes and terrorist attacks."
In a statement, the embassy indicated that "London's actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer," adding that deeper involvement in the conflict would result in a higher price to pay. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova specified that drones with UK components and configurations were used in attacks on Russian territory, including a fuel depot in the Rostov Region.
Responding to the accusations, a spokesperson for the UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) affirmed that Britain stands "shoulder to shoulder" with Ukraine. The spokesperson stated that Russia should not doubt the government's resolve to oppose Russian aggression. The UK remains committed to providing Ukraine with the necessary equipment to defend itself against what it described as Russian President Vladimir Putin's illegal invasion.
The drones in question, manufactured by two separate British companies, have been employed in strikes targeting military and industrial sites inside Russia. This includes logistics centers belonging to Wildberries, an online retailer described as Russia's equivalent of Amazon. Ukraine has reported disabling seven of the 10 largest Wildberries logistics centers.
A military source confirmed to the BBC that UK-supplied drones were involved in these attacks, which are reported to have caused over £35 billion in economic damage. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently occupies approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.