Former Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and current Kremlin adviser, Andrei Fedorov, warned the UK that “unknown sources” could attack arms facilities making weapons for Ukraine.
“Something might happen with enterprises, with factories, which are producing drones for Ukraine,” Fedorov told the BBC on Monday. “They could be attacked — not by Russia, but from unknown sources.” He explained that an attack may be “semi-military,” potentially a cyber-attack that does not have “official” approval from Moscow.
Fedorov argued that President Vladimir Putin was under increased pressure from the Russian public to take action against the UK. On Tuesday, the Russian leader signed a decree allowing Moscow to take control of the defense of private facilities if the owners are not adequately defending the sites.
The war in Ukraine is now in its fifth year as Russian forces continue to slowly take Ukrainian territory that Moscow annexed. Kiev has conducted several long-range drone strikes inside Russia against military and civilian targets.
On Monday, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that London would help Kiev produce Storm Shadow (or SCALP) cruise missiles in Ukraine. At the earliest, the first Storm Shadow missiles will roll off Ukrainian production lines in 2027.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Burnham’s decision was “fanning the flame.”
President Donald Trump made a similar decision last month. During the NATO summit in Turkey, the President said he would give Kiev a license to produce Patriot missiles in Ukraine.
Ukraine has depleted the stockpile of Patriot interceptors that were donated to Kiev by the US and its allies. Russian missiles have successfully penetrated Ukrainian air defenses in recent weeks, causing significant damage and dozens of casualties.
On Tuesday, Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe flew to Russia to meet with officials, according to CBS News. The sources did not say who Ratcliffe met with or what was discussed.
