Russia: British Chargé d’Affaires summoned in protest over increased arms supplies to Ukraine

Moscow, 18 Sep (KUNA) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that it had summoned the British Chargé d’Affaires in Moscow, Danae Dulacia, to protest London’s increased arms supplies to Kyiv, warning that British military facilities in Ukraine used to carry out strikes against Russia “will be considered legitimate targets.”

The ministry stated in a statement that the Russian side informed Dulacia that the British approach toward Ukraine “aims to prolong and escalate the conflict and moves away from prospects for a political settlement.”

It added that “Moscow reserves the right to respond in the exercise of its right to self-defense,” calling on London to “abandon its current escalationist approach.”

The ministry noted that “the British side was informed that any of its military facilities in Ukraine used to launch strikes against Russia will be deemed legitimate targets,” considering that “the continued supply of British weapons to Kyiv makes London, in Moscow’s assessment, a party to the conflict.”

For its part, Britain reaffirmed its continued support for Ukraine and its provision of military equipment that it says is needed for Ukraine’s self-defense.

This diplomatic escalation comes amid growing tensions in Russian-British relations against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, with no Russian ambassador in London since the departure of the previous ambassador, Andrei Kelin, in July last year.

(END) Dan / TMA