Russia threatens UK with strikes if Ukraine uses British weapons against its territory

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Tuesday that Moscow reserves the right to strike British military facilities in both Ukraine “and abroad” if Kyiv decides to strike Russian territory with weapons provided by the UK.

"If such a scenario is implemented, then our country, the Russian Federation, reserves the right to respond accordingly. That is to use as a target British facilities located both on the territory of Ukraine and abroad -- military facilities, weapons, and so on," Zakharova said in an interview with the Russian state news agency TASS.

She described recent remarks by British Foreign Secretary David Cameron that London considered it legitimate for Kyiv to use British weapons for strikes on Russian territory as absolutely insane" and "illogical."

"We reacted immediately through summoning the British ambassador. In fact, Russia did not just summon him for a reprimand, but absolutely unambiguously responded to the British ambassador over the statements in question," she said.

On Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced the summoning of British Ambassador Nigel Casey, saying it conveyed to him a strong protest in connection with Cameron's words about Ukraine's right to strike at the territory of the Russian Federation using British weapons.