Russia accuses Britain of helping Ukraine in a missile strike that killed six people
Listen to this article
Average 3 minutes
The audio version of this article was created by AI-based technology. It can be mispronounced. We are working with our partners to continuously review and improve the results.
The Kremlin on Wednesday accused British experts of being involved in a deadly Ukrainian strike on the Russian city of Bryansk that used British Storm Shadow missiles and said it would look into Britain’s role.
The governor of Bryansk region said Tuesday’s strike killed at least six civilians and injured 37 in what he called “terrorist missiles,” without specifying what was hit.
Asked by Reuters whether there would be a military response to the use of British missiles against Russian territory, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would consider British involvement.
“It is clear that the launch of these missiles would not have been possible without British experts,” Peskov told reporters. “We know about this, we know it well, and we naturally consider it.”
There was no immediate comment from London, although Russia has repeatedly said that Ukraine needs Western technology and Western-supplied targeting data and satellite imagery to launch ballistic missiles deep into Russia.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the strike was planned and targeted at civilians, and challenged the United Nations to investigate what happened.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his video speech on Tuesday night, said that these strikes were aimed at a Russian site that produced important missile materials.
“Our troops attacked one of the most important Russian military factories in Bryansk,” Zelenskyy said, referring to a report from Ukraine’s top commander Oleksandr Syrskyi.
“The facility produced electronics and components for Russian missiles. The very missiles that attack our cities, towns and civilians.”
2 people died in the strike in Kharkiv
In Ukraine, local officials in Kharkiv said a Russian jet struck a civilian business on Wednesday, killing two people and injuring five.
“Unfortunately, there are preliminary details about two people killed,” said Ihor Terekhov, the Mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, on the Telegram messaging app.
Kharkiv regional government Oleh Syniehubov said that according to preliminary information, all the injured are in critical condition. He went on to say that this attack caused a fire in the business.
Kharkiv, located 30 kilometers from the Russian border, resisted the latest Russian military advances after its full-scale offensive in February 2022 and has been the target of Russian airstrikes ever since.
Ukraine and Russia took part in talks facilitated by the delegation sent by US President Donald Trump before the outbreak of the US and Israeli war against Iran on February 28.
The next round of trilateral talks may take place in Istanbul, but there are no concrete details yet – only an understanding that the peace process will continue, Peskov said on Wednesday.
Russia and Ukraine held three dialogue sessions in the Turkish city last year. Talks with US mediation have been held this year in Abu Dhabi and Geneva.
