MOSCOW/WASHINGTON: Russia warned on Thursday that it could strike British military targets inside and outside Ukraine in response to Ukrainian attacks on targets inside Russia using long-range British cruise missiles.

The warning, delivered by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova at a news briefing in Moscow, has been made before but without such rhetorical force or urgency.

Zakharova said that London was just “one step away” from becoming legally complicit in Moscow’s eyes for what she called “terrorism” against Russian civilians and warned of “inevitable catastrophic consequences” unless Britain changed course.

Her reference to “terrorism” was related to the use of the Franco-British Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles by Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia or targets on territory in eastern Ukraine, which Russia claims as its own.

Trump says Putin is ‘not going to attack’ Nato territory

“We have repeatedly warned that any British military installations and equipment in Ukraine and beyond its borders could be targeted in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory carried out using British weapons,” Zakharova said.

“We propose that the British leadership once again carefully analyse the situation and immediately, in the most resolute and unequivocal manner, abandon the hostile, aggressive line which can only ... create the risk of the conflict escalating to an entirely new level,” she said.

A spokesperson for Britain’s Ministry of Defence said London stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Ukraine and was committed to providing the equipment that Kyiv needed “to defend itself against (Presi­dent Vladimir) Putin’s illegal invasion”.

“Russia should be in no doubt about the resolve of this Government to stand against Russian aggression, in Ukraine and against the UK and our allies,” the spokesperson told Reuters.

Western analysts said the strength of Moscow’s warning reflected Russian fury over Britain’s decision made public on Monday to allow Kyiv access to classified technology to start its own production of Storm Shadow cruise missiles, capable of carrying out strikes deep within Russia.

The Kremlin said that Britain was methodically adding “fuel to the fire” after the announcement.

Trump rules out Russian attack

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said Vladimir Putin is “not going to attack” Nato territory, pushing back against media reports that Washington is concerned about a possible Russian move on Europe.

Trump’s comments came two days after CIA Director John Ratcliffe flew to Moscow for surprise talks that US media said were to warn Moscow not to attack the Nato alliance.

“I’ve had good talks with him. He’s not going to be attacking a Nato territory,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked if the Russian president had agreed not to do so.

Asked to confirm the reports about Ratcliffe delivering a warning to the Russians, Trump replied: “I don’t want to comment on that, but they’re not going to attack.” Trump also played down the need to punish Russia for trading with their ally Iran, after his administration announced an “economic D-Day” targeting Tehran if it refuses to open the Strait of Hormuz.

“So far, I think Russia’s behaved quite well, having to do with the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

‘Dangerous path’

France has already given its assent to license the technology for the European missile, and Zakharova on Thursday also appeared to threaten Paris too. She said that France and Britain were both “playing with fire” by supplying sensitive missile technology to Ukraine, something she said could have unpredictable consequences.

She also took aim at British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, saying he seemed to think he had a mandate for escalation and had chosen the most dangerous path when it came to Ukraine.

Zakharova issued her warning a day after Russia accused Ukraine of firing British Storm Shadow missiles at a shopping centre in the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine in an attack it said wounded civilians, including children.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine and Reuters could not independently verify the details of the attack. Both sides deny deliberately targeting civilians. Thousands of civilians have been killed since Russia sent its troops into Ukraine in 2022.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2026