Downing Street has issued a new statement after Russian threats of retaliation against the UK for providing Ukraine with missiles. Russia today warned that Britain is "participating in this war" and threatened to "take measures" to locate and destroy areas where weapons or other military equipment is being produced.
Prime Minister's first overseas trip
It comes as Prime Minister Andy Burnham visited Ukraine today (August 24) in his first overseas trip as Prime Minister. Ahead of the visit, he announced that the UK would provide Kyiv with blueprints for British components used in the French-produced Scalp missile as Paris looks at setting up assembly lines for the weapon in Ukraine.
Britain will also supply more long-range missiles and drones to Ukraine, after British drones were used to strike Russia earlier this month - a move which led Moscow to warn of 'consequences' for the UK.
Kremlin response
Speaking about the Scalp missile plans, Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it would add "fuel to the fire" and undermine any chance of peace. "Britain is participating in this war. It is participating in this war on the side of the Kyiv regime", Peskov said. "Britain methodically and regularly pours fuel on the fire and methodically and regularly plots to prevent any progress in the peace process. This is precisely what Britain is doing."
"Our armed forces are conducting the relevant work, obtaining the relevant information in order to identify the production sites of such missiles, the production sites of other military equipment, and are taking measures to destroy these sites." Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov also said his country had a right to regard the "direct involvement of British missile forces" as "participation in the war, with all the ensuring consequences".
Prime Minister's response
Prime Minister Andy Burnham hit back at Peskov's claim, asking: "Who started the fire? That's the question, isn't it?" Mr Burnham's visit to Ukraine, his first foreign trip as Prime Minister, lands on the 35th anniversary of the country's independence from the Soviet Union.
In a speech outside Kyiv's St Sophia cathedral on Monday, Mr Burnham vowed he would not be deterred from providing aid to Ukraine. He said: "Despite Russia's outrageous threats to my country, we will continue our support for Ukraine." During his speech marking Ukraine's independence day, he praised the "sheer strength" of the Ukrainian people and described their country as "Europe's protector, not a drain on our security, but the front line in keeping Europe safe".
Mr Burnham went on to compare Ukraine's resistance to Russia to the UK's fight with Nazi Germany, saying: "My nation kept the flame of European freedom alive in the 20th century, you hold that flame in the 21st."
Downing Street statement
Now, Downing Street has issued a statement, branding Russia's actions as "barbaric". Asked whether Britain was prepared to run the risk of Russian retaliation in order to stand with Ukraine, a No 10 spokeswoman said: "Our support of Ukraine has been long-standing since 2022 when (Russia) launched their initial attack and that will remain the case."
"I think we've always been very clear about how we feel about Russia's barbaric actions. We have consistently said that across the last four years and nothing has changed in that regard."
