A Kremlin adviser has suggested that UK drone factories could face attacks from "unknown sources" in response to the UK sharing blueprints for British-made cruise missile components with Ukraine. Andrei Fedorov, an adviser to the Kremlin and former Russian deputy foreign minister, stated on BBC Newsnight that there might be a "semi-military" response.
His comments come as UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham plans to travel to the US next month with European leaders to lobby US President Trump on Ukraine's defence needs. Burnham indicated that the trip is "likely" and would be his first to the US since becoming prime minister in July.
"Leaving today, I'm quite clear what I need to do in the next few weeks," Burnham said following his official visit to Ukraine on Monday, where he pledged to continue pressuring Russia.
The UK has agreed to hand over blueprints for British-made components for the Scalp missile, a French version of the UK's Storm Shadow cruise missile, enabling Ukraine to produce the long-range weapon domestically.
Fedorov claimed that Putin is facing "serious" pressure from "public opinion polls, it's coming from journalists, from mass media" to take action against the UK. When asked about the nature of a "semi-military" response, Fedorov suggested it could involve attacks on "enterprises, with factories which are producing drones for Ukraine," adding that these attacks might come from "unknown sources" rather than Russia directly.
These remarks align with criticism from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who on Monday called the UK's decision to share missile blueprints a move that hinders any progress towards peace. Peskov also stated that the Russian military was gathering data to locate and destroy any missile production sites, accusing Britain of "methodically and regularly add[ing] fuel to the fire."
In response to these accusations, Burnham questioned, "Who started the fire? That's the question, isn't it?"
Burnham's visit to Ukraine marked his first official international trip as prime minister. He met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv and chaired his first meeting of the "coalition of the willing," an initiative established by the UK and France under his predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer. Burnham reaffirmed the UK's commitment to Ukraine amidst escalating Russian strikes, including a recent attack on a shopping centre that resulted in at least 16 fatalities.
Ukraine has been reliant on US-supplied Patriot interceptor missiles, but dwindling stockpiles due to the war in Iran have left the country vulnerable to Russian attacks. Zelensky hopes to secure 300 Patriot missiles before winter, anticipating an increase in Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.
Burnham expressed confidence in finding a solution to the missile shortage, noting that other countries could contribute and that a resolution would likely involve multiple layers of negotiation. He recalled that in July, Trump had backtracked on an offer to let Ukraine produce Patriots, citing concerns about sharing such technology.
Following their meeting in Ukraine, Burnham, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz issued a joint statement pledging to strengthen Kyiv's air defences as an "urgent priority." They also condemned Russia's attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure and vowed to restrict Russia's war funding through sanctions and actions against the "shadow fleet."
In a statement prior to the visit, Burnham emphasized the UK's unwavering support for Ukraine, stating, "On Ukraine's 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people should be in no doubt: the UK is behind you today and for as long as it takes." He added, "Ukraine's security is our security," and expressed confidence that the friendship between Ukraine and the UK would "long outlast Russia's illegal war."
