Kremlin adviser says UK drone plants could face 'semi-military' response

Burnham plans US trip, pledges continued support for Ukraine

A Kremlin adviser told BBC Newsnight on Monday that UK drone factories could face a “semi-military” response from “unknown sources” in response to the UK’s decision to share cruise missile blueprints with Ukraine. Andrei Fedorov, who served as Russia’s deputy foreign minister, said the UK could face a “semi-military” response, adding that “it could take the form of something might happen with enterprises, with factories which are producing drones for Ukraine.” He said any such move would come “not by Russia, but by from unknown sources.”

The comments came as Burnham prepared for what he said would likely be a trip to the US next month alongside European leaders, aimed at lobbying President Trump on Ukraine’s defense needs. Speaking to reporters as he left Kyiv on Monday, Burnham said: “Leaving today, I’m quite clear what I need to do in the next few weeks.” He said details of the trip were not “fully confirmed” but that it was “likely” he would go.

The UK announced Monday that it would hand over blueprints for British-made components for the Scalp missile, the French version of the UK’s Storm Shadow cruise missile, allowing Ukraine to produce the long-range weapon domestically. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticized the decision, saying it prevented “even the slightest progress” toward achieving peace. Peskov told reporters the Russian military was already gathering data to locate any missile production sites “to destroy them.” He added: “Britain is involved in this war on the side of the Kyiv regime. Britain methodically and regularly adds fuel to the fire.”

The visit to Ukraine was Burnham’s first official international trip since becoming prime minister in July. He met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv and chaired his first meeting of the “coalition of the willing,” a grouping set up by the UK and France under his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer.

In a joint statement released after the meeting, Burnham and co-chairs French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the group would aim to strengthen Kyiv’s air defenses as a matter of urgent priority. They condemned Moscow’s “systemic and escalating strikes against Ukraine’s cities, critical infrastructure and civilians” and pledged to “constrain Russia’s war chest through sanctions and actions against the ‘shadow fleet.’”

The visit came amid escalating Russian strikes on Ukraine in recent weeks, including an attack last week on a shopping centre that killed at least 16 people. Ukraine has relied on American supplies of the Patriot interceptor missile to counter Russian ballistic missiles, but stockpiles are running low due to the war in Iran, leaving Ukraine vulnerable to Russian attacks.

Zelensky has said he is hoping to secure 300 Patriot missiles ahead of winter, when Russia is likely to intensify attacks on energy infrastructure as it has in past years. In an interview with Bloomberg, Burnham said he felt “really confident” that the issue was “fixable,” but added that the US was not the only potential supplier. “There are other players who could help in the mix who we have influence with,” he said. “It’s probably going to be a solution that involves a lot of layers and a lot of negotiation.”

In July, three weeks after offering Ukraine the right to produce Patriots itself, Trump backtracked, saying: “We have not agreed to that. We’re talking about it. But it’s a hard thing to give away, that kind of technology.” He added: “These weapons are incredible. We have to be very careful about letting somebody build them.”

Speaking ahead of the visit, Burnham said: “On Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people should be in no doubt: the UK is behind you today and for as long as it takes.” He added: “Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve. We will not back down until there is a just and lasting peace.”

Asked on Newsnight where pressure on Putin was coming from to act against the UK, Fedorov said the pressure came from “public opinion polls, it’s coming from journalists, from mass media.” His comments were consistent with Peskov’s Monday remarks criticizing the missile blueprint decision.