Russia warned yesterday that it could strike British military targets inside and outside Ukraine in response to Ukrainian attacks on targets inside Russia using long-range British cruise missiles.
The warning, delivered by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova at a news briefing in Moscow, has been made before but without such rhetorical force or urgency.
Zakharova said that London was just “one step away” from becoming legally complicit – in Moscow’s eyes – for what she called ‘terrorism’ against Russian civilians and warned of ‘inevitable catastrophic consequences’ unless Britain changed course.
Her reference to ‘terrorism’ was related to the use of the Franco-British Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles by Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia or targets on territory in eastern Ukraine, which Russia claims as its own.
A spokesperson for Britain’s Ministry of Defence said London stood ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with Ukraine and was committed to providing the equipment that Kyiv needed ‘to defend itself against Russia’s illegal invasion’.
“Russia should be in no doubt about the resolve of this Government to stand against Russian aggression, in Ukraine and against the UK and our allies,” the spokesperson told Reuters.
Western analysts said the strength of Moscow’s warning reflected Russian fury over Britain’s decision – made public on Monday – to allow Kyiv access to classified technology to start its own production of Storm Shadow cruise missiles, capable of carrying out strikes deep within Russia.
France has already given its assent to license the technology for the European missile, and Zakharova yesterday also appeared to threaten Paris too.
She said that France and Britain were both ‘playing with fire’ by supplying sensitive missile technology to Ukraine, something she said could have unpredictable consequences.
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