Russia vows response after UK opened door to sending fighter jets to Ukraine

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ISTANBUL (AA) - The potential supply of British fighter jets to Ukraine would lead to military and political consequences for the European continent and the world, the Russian Embassy in the UK said Wednesday.

"We would like to remind official London: it is on its conscience that in such a scenario there will be a 'bloody harvest' of the next round of escalation, as well as the military-political consequences arising from this for the European continent and the whole world," the embassy said in a statement.

It said Russia would "find something to respond to any unfriendly steps taken" by Britain.

The statement came after UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said "nothing is off the table" regarding military aid for Ukraine at a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who urged allies to send combat aircraft to his country.

Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin said the UK's plans of sending more long-range missile systems and artillery weapons would only further escalate the conflict.

"It has also been announced (by the UK) that some missile or artillery weapons with a longer range will be supplied. Here it is still unclear, we are trying to clarify what it is, what it is about, whether there are such weapons at all there," Kelin told the political television program, Solovyov Live.

"Nevertheless, this is another step towards further escalation, further aggravation of the conflict, since these weapons will be used to bomb houses in the Donbas, to destroy the civilian population," he added.