Russia threatened to retaliate against British military installations and equipment in Ukraine and elsewhere if Ukraine used British weapons to attack Russian territory.
Russia said that it summoned British Ambassador Nigel Casey to the foreign ministry for a formal protest after David Cameron’s statement last week that Ukraine had the right to use British weapons to strike Russia.
Casey met with Russian officials “for a diplomatic meeting,” during which he reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s support for Ukraine, according to the British government’s denial of the summons.
Despite an earlier assurance that Ukraine would not use long-range weapons against Russia, the Russian foreign ministry stated that Cameron’s remarks acknowledged the U.K.’s de facto involvement in the conflict.
The Russian foreign ministry warned Casey that it could target any British military facilities and equipment on Ukrainian soil or abroad in response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory using British weapons.
Cameron told reporters last week, during a visit to Kyiv, that Ukraine had the right to use the British-supplied weapons to strike targets within Russia, but that the decision to do so rested with Kyiv.
The Russian foreign ministry considers Cameron’s remarks a serious escalation.
