Russia has summoned Britain’s senior diplomat in Moscow to protest UK weapons supplies to Ukraine and warned that it would regard British military facilities in Ukraine used for strikes on Russian territory as legitimate targets.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called in Danae Dholakia, the UK’s chargé d’affaires, on Friday 18 September. It said the meeting concerned what it described as a further increase in British deliveries of drones and other weapons to Kyiv.
What did Russia warn?
Moscow said any British military facilities in Ukraine used to support attacks on Russian territory would be treated as legitimate targets. The warning was conditional: Russia did not provide independently verified evidence of such facilities or announce that it had struck one.
The ministry also said it reserved the right to respond to Britain’s involvement in Ukraine. Its allegations that the UK was complicit in terrorism or war crimes are Russian government claims, not established findings.
Why was the UK diplomat summoned?
The diplomatic protest follows continued British military assistance to Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s invasion. The UK announced a further £100 million contribution to air defence equipment earlier this month, including support for Patriot missiles, and said it remained committed to providing drones and other equipment.
In its 8 September announcement, the UK Ministry of Defence said Britain intended to provide more than 120,000 drones to Ukraine this year, with 25,000 delivered at that point. Those figures are the UK Government’s own account of its programme.
Has Britain changed its position?
The UK Government has consistently said its assistance is intended to help Ukraine defend its sovereignty. No change to that policy was announced as a result of Friday’s summons.
The Russian warning marks a further escalation in rhetoric between Moscow and London. A threat to treat certain facilities as targets is not confirmation that such facilities exist, nor does it mean an attack has taken place.