Vladimir Putin has refused to say whether British military-industrial facilities could become targets for Russian strikes, telling an RT reporter that the answer was a “military secret”.
The Russian president was asked whether defence sites in the UK could be targeted if British-made weapons supplied to Ukraine were used against Russia. He gave no indication that an attack was being planned, but his response was delivered amid mounting tensions over Britain’s military support for Kyiv.
Putin was speaking to journalists in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, following the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. The exchange was reported by RT, which identified its correspondent as Don Corter.
The question followed the UK’s decision to give Ukraine access to blueprints for Storm Shadow missiles, according to Sky News. The move has been condemned by Moscow, which has warned that British involvement in the supply and development of long-range weapons could carry consequences.
British defence facilities supporting Ukraine
Britain has been deepening its defence-industrial cooperation with Ukraine. In February, a Ukrainian drone manufacturer opened a production facility in Suffolk, with the Government saying the £200 million investment could create up to 500 jobs.
The Ministry of Defence has also announced plans to expand domestic weapons production, awarding contracts to 22 companies to assess sites for at least six new munitions and energetics factories. The projects are intended to strengthen the UK’s supply of explosives, propellants and other components used in missiles and artillery.
In June, the Government said three British-designed long-range strike systems had completed flight testing under Project Brakestop, a programme aimed at developing weapons capable of hitting targets more than 500km away.
Putin’s brief reply did not specify what Moscow considers a potential target, nor did it amount to an explicit threat against the UK. It came as Russia and Britain remain on opposing sides of the war in Ukraine, with London continuing to supply Kyiv while Moscow seeks to deter further Western military assistance.
