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Russia tells Britain it will pay a price for UK drones used in strikes

Published 09:42 18 Aug 2026 BST

Updated 09:42 18 Aug 2026 BST

Lum Haliti
Russia tells Britain it will pay a price for UK drones used in strikes

Homenews

‘The deeper the involvement, the higher the price’

Russia has accused Britain of “deliberately opting for an escalation of the Ukraine crisis”, warning that it will pay a price.

A military source told BBC News that UK drones built by two separate British companies had been used in strikes on targets inside Russian territory.

In a statement, the Russian Embassy in London said Britain was acting as “an accomplice and co-perpetrator of the bloody crimes and terrorist attacks”, warning that its actions “will inevitably carry consequences”.

The deeper Britain’s involvement in the conflict, the embassy added, “the higher the price it will pay”.

Where the UK drones have been used

The strikes have hit military and industrial sites, including refineries and warehouses belonging to Wildberries, the online retailer often described as Russia’s answer to Amazon.

Ukraine says seven of the company’s 10 largest logistics centres have been “disabled”.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said drones using British components had struck a fuel depot in the Rostov region.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence said Britain stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Ukraine and remained “committed to providing the equipment Ukraine needs”.

It is the latest jolt in an increasingly tense relationship, one that has already featured Putin’s so-called doomsday radio station and RAF jets scrambled to meet a suspected Russian bomber near UK airspace.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and controls roughly a fifth of the country.

Moscow has given no detail on what its response to the British-built drones might be.

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