The Russian embassy accused Britain of complicity after British drones were used in attacks on Russian territory, while Prime Minister Burnham says support for Ukraine remains one hundred percent.
Russia on Tuesday warned the United Kingdom of "consequences" for the use of British drones in attacks on Russian territory, accusing London of deliberately escalating the Ukrainian crisis. The Russian embassy in London stated that Britain is acting as an "accomplice and co-perpetrator of bloody crimes and terrorist attacks."
"London's actions will inevitably have consequences for which it will have to answer," read a statement posted on the embassy's Telegram channel, adding that Britain will pay a "higher price" the deeper it becomes involved in the conflict.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham responded the same day with a message that Britain will "one hundred percent support Ukraine in its conflict against Russia" and stand by it "at a time when it is needed." Burnham emphasized that Britain is "only doing what it has long said it would do."
"We are not friends only when things go smoothly. We will be there when Ukraine needs us, and that will not change," the Prime Minister said.
A spokesperson for the British Ministry of Defence said that Britain stands "shoulder to shoulder" with Ukraine. "Russia should not doubt this Government's determination to stand up to Russian aggression, in Ukraine and against the United Kingdom and our allies," the spokesperson told BBC News.
He added that Britain is "committed to providing the equipment Ukraine needs to defend against Putin's illegal invasion." The Ministry of Defence did not confirm whether British drones were used in attacks on Russian territory.
According to The Sunday Times, Ukraine has used drones produced by two British companies in its deep-strike campaign. A military source confirmed to the BBC that these drones were used in attacks on Russian targets, including oil refineries in Volgograd and Yaroslavl, and warehouses of the online retailer Wildberries, known as the "Russian Amazon."
Kyiv claims to have disabled seven of Wildberries' ten largest logistics centers. The economic damage from drone attacks is estimated to have exceeded £35 billion, although this figure has not been independently confirmed.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that drones with British components were used to attack Russian territory, including a fuel depot in the Kamensky district of the Rostov region.
On Saturday evening, Ukraine launched 822 drones toward Russia, of which 600 were aimed at Moscow, according to the regional governor. Seven deaths were recorded in Russia. At the same time, Russian attacks on Ukraine killed at least seven people and injured more than 39, according to BBC News.
MercoPress reports slightly different figures: according to Russian officials, about 620 drones were aimed at the Moscow region, of which air defense destroyed more than 180. On Monday, a Ukrainian attack on Russia killed nine people and injured 23, including a child.
In Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia Governor Ivan Fedorov reported at least two dead and four injured in the region. According to his reports, 1,158 Russian attacks on 59 settlements were recorded in 24 hours. None of these figures can be independently confirmed.
Russia has previously warned Britain. In November 2022, it summoned the British ambassador over an attack on the Black Sea Fleet, and in May 2024, it threatened strikes on British military facilities inside and outside Ukraine.
In June, Britain reported that it would provide Ukraine with 150,000 drones by the end of 2026 as part of a funding package worth £752 million. In April, the Ministry of Defence announced the delivery of tens of thousands of drones, including long-range strike devices, in its largest package to date.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently controls roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
