Russia warns it could target UK in response to Kyiv firing British missiles

Moscow has warned that it could strike British military targets inside and outside Ukraine if Kyiv continues to fire long-range UK-made cruise missiles into Russia.

The warning, delivered by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova at a news briefing in Moscow on Thursday, is the strongest direct threat yet to Britain, a key NATO member and ally of Ukraine.

Zakharova said London was “one step away” from becoming legally complicit in what she described as “terrorism” against Russian civilians, warning of “catastrophic consequences” unless Britain changed course.

“We have repeatedly warned that any British military installations and equipment in Ukraine and beyond its borders could be targeted in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory carried out using British weapons,” she said.

“We propose that the British leadership once again carefully analyse the situation and immediately, in the most resolute and unequivocal manner, abandon the hostile, aggressive line,” she added.

The warning came a day after Moscow accused Ukraine of firing British Storm Shadow missiles to attack a shopping centre in the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk, an attack Russian officials said wounded civilians, including children.

The Kremlin previously accused Britain of adding “fuel to the fire” after London announced it would allow Kyiv access to technology to build Storm Shadow cruise missiles locally. France has already agreed to license the technology for the European missile.

The diplomatic warning coincides with a new wave of Russian missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, targeting key infrastructure and leaving at least one person dead and several injured.