Story summary
Russia has been warning Britain that it will face consequences for supplying drones to Ukraine, which have been used to attack targets on Russian territory. In response to reports of British-made drones being used in strikes against Russia, the Russian embassy in London said "London's actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer". The UK has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, committing around 25 billion pounds ($47 billion) in support, including 16 billion pounds in military aid.
The use of British-made drones against Russia is believed to be the first time they have been used for long-range strikes against Russian territory. Ukraine has been using these drones to hit oil refineries and logistics facilities, causing significant economic damage, with reports suggesting that the attacks have caused over £35bn in economic damage.
The UK's Ministry of Defence did not confirm whether British drones had been used, but a spokesperson said that "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."
Meanwhile, in Ukraine, at least five people have been killed and more than 10 injured in the latest wave of Russian strikes, officials have said. The attacks caused fires across the capital, Kyiv, including at a book market. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of targeting civilian infrastructure.
Separately, a Russian missile attack killed 10 people on Tuesday in a village in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region, Ukrainian authorities said. The attack damaged 10 private buildings, a cafe, a post office, a store and at least seven cars.
Written for “Russia-Ukraine Conflict Escalates” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 26 other(s) covering the same event.
U.K. to provide long-range missile blueprints to Ukraine
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U.K. → provide → Ukraine
New PM expected to announce release of SCALP missile plans, office says
European leaders joined President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Monday for official celebrations marking Ukraine's Independence Day as Russia pushes on with its invasion of the country.
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Russia → expect → country
U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, on his first overseas trip since taking office last month, on Monday joined almost a dozen other European leaders, as well as other dignitaries including European Council President Antonio Costa, in Kyiv.
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Burnham → take → Kyiv
We defended it against all odds," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on social media.
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Sybiha → defend → media
"In times like these, nations learn how important it is to have allies by your side."
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it → learn → side
Ukrainians voted overwhelmingly for independence in 1991, but one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's key goals in starting a war in February 2022 was to place Kyiv in Moscow's orbit.
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one → vote → orbit
Burnham co-chaired a meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing group of countries helping Ukraine resist Russia's onslaught, with the leaders of France and Germany expected to join online.
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leaders → co → France
Burnham said he is pushing British industry to help a Ukrainian project that is working on a low-cost alternative to the U.S.-made Patriot air defence systems that Zelenskyy has said Ukraine desperately needs but are in short supply.
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Ukraine → say → supply
Burnham urged other countries to encourage Washington to adopt stiffer sanctions on Russia and press Moscow to accept U.S. attempts to secure an unconditional ceasefire.
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Burnham → urge → ceasefire
The visiting leaders took to Kyiv pledges of further military and financial support.
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leaders → visit → support
Burnham is expected to announce that the U.K. government has agreed to allow defence company MBDA to release classified information relating to British components used in the SCALP long-range missile, according to his office.
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government → expect → office
That would pave the way for France and Ukraine to advance plans for local production of the weapon in Ukraine.
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France → pave → Ukraine
SCALP is the French version of the U.K.'s Storm Shadow missile, with both systems incorporating shared French and British technology.
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systems → incorporate → technology
"We all understand that in this Russian war against us — against Ukraine — far more is being decided than the future of Ukraine and Eastern Europe," Zelenskyy said, adding that foreign help was vital.
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help → understand → Ukraine
"No nation in a war like this could rely solely on its own weapons," he said.
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he → rely → weapons
"No nation could withstand attacks of such intensity without the world's help."
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nation → withstand → help
'Fuel to the fire'
The Kremlin said Britain's decision was regarded by Moscow extremely negatively.
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decision → say → Moscow
"Britain is involved in this war on the side of the Kyiv regime.
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Britain → involve → regime
Britain methodically and regularly adds fuel to the fire and methodically and regularly hatches schemes to prevent even the slightest progress in the peaceful settlement process," spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
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Peskov → add → reporters
Peskov said that the Russian military was already systematically gathering data to identify the location of any missile production sites and then destroying them.
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military → say → them
Moscow warned London last week of unspecified "consequences" for supplying drones to Kyiv, accusing Britain of deepening its involvement in the war following a report that British-made drones had been used for long-range strikes against Russia for the first time.
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drones → warn → time
Burnham said at the time that London was committed to support Ukraine fully against "this illegal war."
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London → say → war
Ukraine has leaned heavily on NATO countries for help fighting Russia's bigger army, although relations with the United States have been cooler under Donald Trump than predecessor Joe Biden.
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relations → lean → Biden
Trump said at a NATO summit last month that the U.S. would give Ukraine a licence to produce Patriot missiles, but there has been no further announcement since.
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U.S. → say → missiles
Even with a licence, officials and experts told The Associated Press that starting Patriot production in Ukraine would take years.
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starting → tell → years
Russia, meanwhile, is getting help from North Korea and China while having made use of Iran's Shahed drones.
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Russia → get → drones
Both Russia and Ukraine are trying through long-range strikes to inflict economic pain, disrupt military supplies and erode public morale.
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Russia → try → morale
3 killed in southern Russia
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3 → kill → Russia
With no significant changes on the front line for months and no apparent progress after U.S.-led peace efforts, the warring countries are locked in a spiral of escalating aerial attacks that are killing civilians and smashing infrastructure.
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that → war → infrastructure
In fighting Monday, three teenagers were killed and six children were wounded in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar, Russia's children's rights ombudswoman Maria Lvova-Belova said, as Ukraine attacked several warehouses of Ozon for the third straight day, according to officials and the company.
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Ukraine → kill → officials
The company said a large fire raged at an Ozon logistics facility in the suburbs of Krasnodar following the overnight attack.
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fire → say → attack
A drone also hit the grounds of an Ozon logistics centre in the southern Russian region of Adygeya, regional governor Murat Kumpilov said, though the company said its Adygeya warehouse wasn't damaged.
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warehouse → hit → Adygeya
Could an explosive drone at a German airport signal a growing Russian threat to NATO?
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drone → signal → NATO
Zelenskyy says holding elections during war would 'destroy' Ukraine
In all, four Ozon premises appeared to have been targeted.
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premises → say → all
Ukraine's General Staff said its forces struck the Russian state-owned Kamenetsky Combine defence company in the Rostov region overnight, starting a fire.
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forces → say → fire
The plant produces fuel for rockets and missiles, it said.
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it → produce → rockets
Russia's Defence Ministry said its air defences overnight intercepted and destroyed 351 Ukrainian drones over eight Russian regions, as well as occupied Crimea and the waters of the Azov and the Black Seas.
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defences → say → Azov
The ministry also said that its forces overnight continued to strike Ukrainian ports and vessels delivering cargo for the armed forces.
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forces → say → forces
Ukraine's long-range drones have repeatedly hit facilities in Russia's vital oil industry, causing fuel shortages and have also engaged in a campaign against Russia's largest online retailer Wildberries.
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drones → hit → retailer
