"Will have to answer": Russia warns Britain of over drones supplied to Ukraine
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
- Russia's embassy in London issued a warning to Britain after reports that British-made drones were used in long-range strikes on Russian territory
- The embassy warned that Britain's involvement in the conflict would carry consequences and that the price it paid would rise with deeper support for Kyiv
- Britain's Ministry of Defence declined to confirm whether its drones had been used but reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Ukraine
Russia has issued a direct warning to Britain, stating that supplying drones to Ukraine for use in strikes against Russian territory will carry serious consequences.
The threat came from the Russian embassy in London on Tuesday, August 18, 2025, in a statement published on its official Telegram channel.
The warning followed a report in the Times newspaper on Saturday, which claimed that British-manufactured drones had been deployed in long-range strikes against Russia for the first time.
Russia's Warning to London
The embassy's statement was unambiguous in its language.
"London's actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer," it read.
The statement went further, warning that Britain's sustained backing of Ukraine would be costly.
"The deeper its involvement in the conflict and the greater its support for Kiev's terrorist machinery, the higher the price it will pay," the embassy added.
Ukraine has been deploying long-range drones to strike oil refineries and logistics facilities deep inside Russian territory, operations that Moscow has consistently characterised as acts of terrorism.
Britain's Response
Britain's Ministry of Defence declined to confirm or deny whether its drones had been used in any such strikes. However, a defence ministry spokesperson made clear that London had no intention of scaling back its support.
"Britain stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and we are committed to providing the equipment Ukraine needs to defend itself against Putin's illegal invasion," the spokesperson said.
In June, Britain announced it would deliver 150,000 drones to Ukraine by the end of 2026 as part of a £752 million (KSh 130.6 billion) funding package, underscoring the scale of its military commitment to Kyiv.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow has repeatedly warned Britain and other Western governments that their military support for Kyiv risked provoking retaliatory action and could draw them into a wider confrontation.
Tuesday's statement marked the latest in a string of such warnings directed specifically at London.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.