UK Drone Factories Face 'Unknown' Assaults, Russian Ex‑Official Warns

Sun Sep 06 2026 02:11:06 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Former Russian deputy foreign minister warns UK drone factories could be hit by unknown attackers amid shared missile blueprints.

A former Russian Deputy Foreign Minister has warned that UK drone manufacturing sites may become targets from unknown sources after the UK agreed to hand new SCALP/Storm Shadow missile blueprints to Ukraine. The comments arrived as UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced an upcoming Washington visit to lobby President Trump for further military aid. Russia’s remarks, echoing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov’s criticism, suggest that Russian forces are already searching for Ukrainian missile production sites. The tension underscores the heightened stakes of the UK’s support for Ukraine, with potential implications for the UK defence industry’s security as well as diplomatic relations. Analysts say the warning amplifies the already volatile environment surrounding the cost of sharing advanced military technology.

UK Drone Factories Face 'Unknown' Assaults, Russian Ex‑Official Warns

A former Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Andrei Fedorov, told BBC Newsnight that UK drone production sites could be targeted by “unknown sources” after the United Kingdom agreed to share blueprints for the SCALP/Storm‑Shadow cruise missile with Ukraine. The warning is part of a broader Russian criticism of the UK’s decision to support Ukraine in its conflict with Moscow.

Fedorov, who frequently appears on Russian television, said that Putin was under pressure to take “certain measures” against the UK. He described the potential response as a “semi‑military” operation that could hit enterprises producing drones for the Ukrainian war effort. “They could be attacked not by Russia, but from unknown sources,” he added.

The comments echo Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov’s earlier statements, in which he condemned the UK for fueling the fire and said the shared blueprints prevented peace progress. Peskov also said that Russian military intelligence was gathering data to locate any missile production sites for sabotage.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who is scheduled to head to Washington next month to push President Donald Trump for further Ukrainian defense aid, responded that “who started the fire” is the question. Burnham spent Monday in Kyiv, meeting President Volodymyr Zelensky and chairing the first meeting of the UK‑France “coalition of the willing.”

Burnham’s trip marks his first official international visit as prime minister. He underscored the UK’s commitment to Ukraine’s air defence, noting that the UK has agreed to hand over blueprints that will enable Ukrainian forces to produce long‑range missiles domestically. The UK‑French‑German trio also condemned Moscow’s systemic and escalating strikes against Ukrainian cities, critical infrastructure and civilians, pledging to “constrain Russia’s war chest through sanctions and actions against the shadow fleet.”

Analysts warn that the UK must weigh the risk to its defence industry, especially considering the potential for a covert attack on drone factories. The situation has highlighted the risks involved in sharing advanced military technology with a small state amid an active conflict zone.