Russia threatens UK over British drones used by Ukraine

Herz — World Desk · 18 August 2026 at 07:46 · 30s summary · 1 min read

What we know

Drones produced by two British companies and supplied to Ukraine have been used to strike military and industrial targets inside Russia. The Sunday Times, as reported by Tribune de Genève and 24 heures, provided these details.

One of the companies is a subsidiary of BAE Systems, a British defence and aerospace firm. The Sunday Times did not name the second manufacturer for security reasons.

Russia's embassy in London warned on Monday that the United Kingdom must face consequences for its military cooperation with Ukraine.

Moscow accuses London of escalation

In a statement released Monday, Russia's embassy called the United Kingdom an 'accomplice and co-author' of the strikes and accused it of deliberately choosing to escalate the conflict.

The diplomatic mission also threatened London with an escalating price as its involvement increases.

accomplice and co-author

— Russia's Embassy in London

The UK maintains its support

A spokesman for the UK Ministry of Defence stated that Britain remained determined to supply Ukraine with the equipment necessary for its defence.

The spokesman also affirmed that the United Kingdom would continue to oppose Russian aggression against Ukraine, the UK, and its allies.

The scale of British support

Since the beginning of Russia's invasion in February 2022, the United Kingdom has mobilized approximately £25 billion, equivalent to €29 billion, to support Kyiv.

Of this total, £16 billion represents military aid.