Last updated: 2026-08-28 · Published: 2026-08-28
Russia’s former Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Fedorov warned on Monday that factories in Britain producing drones for Ukraine could be targeted by “semi-military” or “unknown” forces, in response to the United Kingdom’s expanding military support for Kyiv. He made the remarks during an interview with the BBC’s Newsnight programme.
Fedorov’s warning followed an agreement announced by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham during a visit to Kyiv this week, under which the U.K. will provide Ukraine with classified technology to manufacture a British/French-designed cruise missile domestically. The Kremlin and Russia’s London embassy have both condemned the deepening British role in the conflict.
Key facts at a glance
| Warning | UK drone factories could be attacked by “unknown sources” |
| Who spoke | Andrei Fedorov, Russia’s former Deputy Foreign Minister |
| Where | BBC Newsnight interview, Monday |
| Trigger | UK-Ukraine deal on manufacturing a SCALP-class cruise missile in Ukraine |
| Other threat | Possible cyberattacks and unspecified political measures, he said |
| Kremlin response | Dmitry Peskov condemned the agreement and said missile production sites could be targeted |
What Fedorov said
“Something might happen with enterprises, with factories, which are producing drones for Ukraine,” Fedorov told the BBC. “They could be attacked — not by Russia, but from unknown sources.” He said he could not “exclude 100% that there might be some semi-military” action, while also flagging the possibility of cyberattacks, again attributed to “unknown sources, not official level, of course,” or unspecified political measures against Britain.
The former official said Russian President Vladimir Putin was under pressure from public opinion and the Russian media to take action against Britain. Fedorov served as one of Russia’s top diplomats under Sergei Lavrov and has since spoken candidly in Western media about the war.
The UK-Ukraine missile agreement
The warning came days after Prime Minister Andy Burnham, during a visit to Kyiv, announced the U.K. would provide Ukraine with classified technology to produce a cruise missile domestically. The deal concerns a British/French-designed missile — related to the French SCALP and the U.K.’s Storm Shadow family — which the U.K. has supplied to Ukraine since 2023 but has not previously helped manufacture on Ukrainian soil.
The French SCALP cruise missile is known for its accuracy, according to the Missile Threat project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and could allow Ukraine to strike more protected targets such as Russian command posts. Ukraine has recently used its own domestically built cruise missiles, including the FP-5, or Flamingo, made by the defence manufacturer Fire Point.
Kremlin and embassy reactions
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned the agreement, accusing Britain on Monday of becoming increasingly involved in the war, and said Russia’s military was gathering information about where French missiles could be produced in Ukraine so the facilities could be targeted. Last week, Russia’s embassy in London accused Britain of escalating the conflict after Russian officials claimed U.K.-made drones were used in Ukrainian strikes inside Russia, and warned that increased British involvement would carry increased consequences.
Video: What the footage shows
Russia warns UK will pay for supplying drones to Ukraine — BBC News
BBC News reports Fedorov’s warning that UK drone factories could face attacks from “unknown sources,” framed against the new UK-Ukraine missile agreement and Moscow’s reaction. The segment puts the threat in the context of Britain’s expanding military support for Kyiv.
Russia threatens UK will “pay price” after drones strike targets deep inside country — BBC News
A second BBC News report covers Moscow’s threat that the U.K. will “pay the price” after drones struck targets deep inside Russia, and how the missile-manufacturing deal has deepened tensions between London and the Kremlin.
Confirmed vs. speculation
| Confirmed | Not confirmed |
|---|---|
| Fedorov publicly warned of possible attacks on UK drone factories on BBC Newsnight | That Russia itself threatened an attack, rather than “unknown sources” |
| The UK agreed to help Ukraine manufacture a British/French cruise missile domestically | Any specific or imminent attack on British factories |
| Kremlin spokesman Peskov condemned the UK-Ukraine agreement | Which Ukrainian sites, if any, will produce the missile |
| Russia’s embassy in London warned of “consequences” over increased involvement | The precise form or scale of any Russian response |
Frequently asked questions
Who warned about attacks on UK drone factories?
Andrei Fedorov, Russia’s former Deputy Foreign Minister, made the remarks in a BBC Newsnight interview, saying factories could be attacked “not by Russia, but from unknown sources.”
Why would UK drone factories be targeted?
Fedorov framed it as a response to the U.K.’s expanding military support for Ukraine, including a new agreement to help Kyiv manufacture a British/French cruise missile domestically.
What is the UK-Ukraine missile deal?
The U.K. agreed to provide Ukraine with classified technology to manufacture a British/French-designed cruise missile on Ukrainian soil, expanding on the missiles London has supplied since 2023.
Has Russia confirmed it will attack?
No. Fedorov explicitly said attacks would come from “unknown sources,” not Russia, and described semi-military action and cyberattacks as possibilities rather than settled plans.
How did the Kremlin react?
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned the agreement and said Russian forces were gathering information about where the missiles could be produced so the sites could be targeted.
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Sources
- CBS News
- BBC News / Newsnight
- Al Jazeera
- The Independent
- The Telegraph
- Le Monde
