Russia warns it could target UK in response to Kyiv firing British missiles

What the report says

Russia has issued an unusually direct warning that British military sites could be hit if Ukraine continues using UK-made long-range cruise missiles against Russian territory. The warning came from Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova at a briefing in Moscow on Thursday, according to Al Jazeera’s report based on Reuters. She said Britain could face “catastrophic consequences” and should change course, framing the missile strikes as Russian civilians being targeted.

The dispute follows Moscow’s accusation a day earlier that Ukraine used British Storm Shadow missiles in an attack on a shopping centre in Russian-controlled Donetsk, which Russian officials said injured civilians, including children. Moscow has previously argued that Western support for Kyiv is deepening the war, while Britain has recently said it would allow Ukraine access to technology to produce Storm Shadow missiles domestically. That move has also drawn criticism from Russia.

The warning came as Russia carried out a new wave of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, striking ports, energy sites, industrial facilities and other infrastructure, according to Ukrainian officials. Several regions reported deaths and injuries, with damage reported in Kharkiv, Kyiv, Poltava, Kryvyi Rih, Zaporizhzhia and Odesa. For readers, the significance lies in the broader escalation between Russia and a major NATO member, as fighting increasingly involves cross-border strikes and arguments over foreign military support.