Kathmandu— A Kremlin adviser warned that factories in the United Kingdom producing drones for export to Ukraine could be targeted by attacks from “unknown sources,” after Britain agreed to share long-range missile blueprints with Kyiv. Andrei Fedorov, an advisor to the Kremlin, stated he could not rule out potential “semi-military” action against the UK, coinciding with a visit to Ukraine by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Russia views this blueprint sharing as evidence of direct British military involvement in the ongoing conflict and has signaled possible retaliation.

Escalating Rhetoric from Moscow

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov echoed Fedorov’s sentiments, telling reporters that the UK is “participating in this war” through its missile support and effectively “adding fuel to the fire.” This follows a decision by the UK to declassify blueprints for British-made components of the Scalp missile – a French-produced version of the Storm Shadow already used by Ukraine. The Kremlin’s statements represent an escalation in rhetoric, directly linking British actions to potential consequences within its own territory.

Blueprint Sharing and Missile Capabilities

The UK agreed to share these blueprints during Prime Minister Burnham's first overseas trip to Kyiv on Monday, enabling Ukraine to manufacture the long-range missiles domestically. The Scalp missile is capable of hitting heavily fortified targets like bunkers, offering a significant advantage over existing Ukrainian weaponry with its range of approximately 240km (149 miles). This move aims to bolster Ukraine’s ability to strike deeper into Russian-held territory.

Potential Forms of Retaliation

Fedorov suggested that any response from Russia could take various forms, ranging from “technical reactions” like cyberattacks by “unknown sources,” to more overt political or even “semi-military” actions. He specifically mentioned the possibility of incidents affecting enterprises and factories involved in drone production for Ukraine. When questioned about who might carry out such attacks, Fedorov indicated they would likely originate from unofficial channels rather than direct state action.

Burnham responded to the Kremlin’s accusations by questioning Russia's initial role in escalating the conflict, referencing the full-scale invasion launched in February 2022. Ukraine has been steadily increasing its domestic drone production and conducting attacks on economic and military targets within Russia.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.