Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the UK will continue to back Ukraine “100%” after Russia warned of “consequences” over confirmation that British-made drones were used in recent Ukrainian strikes inside Russia. Burnham said London would remain committed to supporting Kyiv, adding that the UK would not change its position as the war continues. He was responding to comments from the Russian embassy in London, which accused Britain of choosing to escalate the conflict by deepening its involvement. The embassy said that the longer Britain stays involved, the greater the cost Moscow expects it to face, without specifying what form any response might take. Burnham Rejects Russian WarningsAsked about the threat on Tuesday, Burnham said the UK was providing support so that Ukraine could defend itself, describing the approach as consistent with the stance taken by previous prime ministers. He also noted that Russia has raised warnings before about British support, including over drone technology and Storm Shadow cruise missiles. The Ministry of Defence said the UK remains committed to providing equipment Ukraine needs to defend itself against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “illegal invasion”, which began with Moscow’s full-scale assault in February 2022. Drones Used in Strikes as Death Toll RisesKyiv’s campaign of long-range attacks has intensified in recent months, with strikes reported against oil refineries and warehouses linked to the online retailer Wildberries, as well as targets in multiple Russian regions. The latest phase of the war has also affected Russia’s domestic fuel supplies and damaged parts of its economy, according to reporting cited by the BBC. Two UK-based companies are understood to have built drones supplied to Kyiv. A military source told the BBC that British drones had been used in recent attacks on Russia, which were reported to have caused more than £35bn in economic damage. Russia has frequently singled out the UK, alongside the United States, for supporting Kyiv politically and financially since the start of the war. London supplied anti-tank weapons early in the conflict under Boris Johnson, helping to slow Moscow’s advance on Kyiv. The UK has continued to provide newer systems and training for Ukrainian forces, including by visiting Kyiv in July, Burnham’s first trip abroad as prime minister. While fighting has continued, UN officials say civilian deaths in Ukraine were highest since May 2022. They put last month’s death toll at 437. In Russia, a foreign ministry spokesman told the Tass news agency that 69 people, including three children, were killed in the past week. Ukrainian attacks reported over the past days left at least 17 people dead in Ukraine on Tuesday, including 10 in the village of Pechenihy in north-eastern Ukraine. Russian strikes hit private homes as well as a cafe and a post office. Elsewhere, three people were killed in Sumy, two in Zaporizhzhia and two in Kherson. Moscow’s warning to the UK followed a weekend wave of Ukrainian strikes, in which Russia said five people were killed in a residential area of Rostov region in the south. IAEA Notes Drone Incident Near ZaporizhzhiaHundreds of drones have been launched towards the Moscow region in the past two days, regional governor Andrey Vorobyov said on Tuesday. He said a 10-year-old girl was injured and a Wildberries warehouse was damaged. Ukraine has also relied on home-grown drone and missile technology, including the FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile, alongside imported systems. Separately on Tuesday, the UN nuclear watchdog IAEA said it had been informed about “a drone exploded at a bus stop used by staff” travelling to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine. The IAEA said the plant director installed by Moscow told it that one person was killed and three others were seriously injured, and that there was no report of nuclear safety or security damage. Russia and Ukraine have also reported large drone salvos near Moscow. On Monday night, Russian officials said about 620 drones were flown towards the region, with air defences destroying more than 180, while several people were wounded. On Saturday night, Ukraine reportedly launched 822 drones towards Russia, with 600 aimed at Moscow, and Russian officials said seven people died. Germany Highlights Hybrid Drone ThreatsAttention on Russian threats to Western allies has included concerns about hybrid warfare. Although incidents are rarely confirmed as Russian-sponsored, Europe has reported multiple cases involving drones flying close to sensitive military and industrial sites. Last week, German officials warned of a “real, very acute” risk after a drone loaded with explosives was defused near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle airport, which serves as a military hub for Germany and Nato allies. The German government said it plans to expand powers for its BND and BfV spy agencies to counter drone threats and to disrupt hostile actors. Join the discussion? 19 August 2026
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