Russia threatens UK with severe consequences over long-range drone supplies to Kyiv

Russian diplomatic officials claimed that Ukraine's deployment of UK-manufactured uncrewed aerial vehicles to strike targets deep inside Russian territory demonstrates London's intentional push toward "escalation of the war".

The diplomatic mission accused British authorities of directly facilitating Ukrainian strikes, asserting that the UK will "bear responsibility" for its deepening involvement. The embassy further warned that the more active London's military support for Ukraine becomes, "the higher the price it will pay".

On Aug. 16, The Times reported that Ukrainian forces have actively employed UK-supplied drones over the past six months to strike deep targets across Russia, including oil refineries in Volgograd, Yaroslavl, and near Moscow.

Among the deployed systems is the jet-powered Nyan strike drone, developed by Callen-Lenz (a subsidiary of defense contractor BAE Systems), alongside catapult-launched platforms produced by another British manufacturer whose name was withheld for operational security. These drones can travel up to 1,800 kilometers, cost significantly less than long-range cruise missiles, and can be launched in mass waves to overwhelm Russian air defense networks.