Russia has raised the possibility of striking British military targets in Ukraine and beyond as a response to the United Kingdom's supply of weapons to Ukraine. Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated during a press conference on August 27 that Russia could target any British military facilities and equipment in Ukraine and elsewhere, particularly in retaliation for Ukraine's use of British weapons against Russian territory.

Zakharova emphasized that those responsible for crimes, especially those targeting Russian civilians, would face appropriate consequences. She urged the UK to recognize the dangerous repercussions of its hostile policies, suggesting that London should abandon its confrontational approach, which could escalate the conflict to a completely different level.

The warning follows allegations from Russia that Ukraine utilized Storm Shadow missiles, supplied by the UK and France, to attack a shopping center in Donetsk, injuring eight civilians, including children. Zakharova noted that Russia is monitoring the UK's transfer of classified data to Ukraine for the assembly of Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which France has also agreed to license for use.

She accused the UK and France of attempting to evade responsibility for attacks deep into Russian territory by providing assembly processes for the Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine. The UK government has yet to comment on these allegations.

In May 2023, the UK and France provided the first batch of Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG missiles to Ukraine. The Ukrainian military has repeatedly claimed to use these weapons to strike targets in Russia and territories controlled by Moscow. Russia has reportedly recovered several Storm Shadow missiles intact, allowing it to develop countermeasures. The Russian military has successfully intercepted Storm Shadow missile attacks multiple times, while Ukrainian forces have had to reduce their usage due to dwindling stockpiles.

During a visit to Kyiv earlier this week, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced an agreement allowing Ukraine access to classified information about components produced in the UK for the Storm Shadow missiles, enabling Ukraine to develop a domestic version for use in the conflict.