UK opposes strikes deep inside Russia Ambassador says

Russia's ambassador to the UK Andrei Kelin has said that the position of the UK’s government remains unchanged: it does not endorse attacks on Russian territory.

"As for London's position, it officially has not changed. We have been informed that it remains the same. However, this is all shrouded in a cloud of misinformation, introducing an element of uncertainty. But as I mentioned, there is confirmation that the stance is unchanged, and London is currently not advocating for strikes on Russian territory. We have had some discussions, and they are ongoing," Kelin noted, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

He also noted that London's perspective on this issue is not independent, as it is entirely contingent upon Washington's position.  

"It must be coordinated with the US as the launches of British Storm Shadow long-range missiles directly depend on receiving American intelligence data. Everything will likely be carried out by British specialists - the flight mission input and all procedures related to the launch, except for target designation, which may be handled by the Ukrainians themselves.

As Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasised, this means the British would become accomplices in these strikes," the ambassador stated.  

On September 12, Putin told reporters that Ukraine is unable to strike deep into Russian territory without Western assistance, as it requires satellite intelligence and flight mission data to do so. He noted that NATO member states are not merely discussing the potential use of Western long-range weapons by Kyiv; they are essentially deciding whether to directly engage in the Ukrainian conflict. Putin emphasised that Moscow will make decisions based on the threats that arise for Russia.  

In turn, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that Moscow is aware of the West's decision to conduct strikes deep within Russian territory and the corresponding signals being sent to Kyiv. He added that Russia will respond to such attacks "in a manner that will make a strong impression."

Meanwhile, UK Defence Secretary John Healey has acknowledged that the UK’s Armed Forces are not prepared to engage in a war. He stated that the military has been “hollowed out” and “underfunded” under the previous government, to the extent that it would struggle to deter adversaries if conflict were to arise today. 

“The UK, in keeping with many other nations, has essentially become very skilled and ready to conduct military operations. What we’ve not been ready to do is to fight. Unless we are ready to fight, we are not in shape to deter. This is at the heart of the Nato thinking. We’ve got to not just be capable of defending our Nato nations, but more importantly we’ve got to be more effective in the deterrence we provide against any future aggression,” he noted.

This week, allies of Vladimir Putin convened at a summit in Russia, which the Russian president described as the beginning of a new world order. 

Among those present were Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, and the leaders of 36 countries, including Iran, India, South Africa, the UAE, Ethiopia, and Egypt. Military experts indicated that while Britain could engage in combat, it must ensure it remains technologically advanced.

By Naila Huseynova