Bryansk, Russia. The Kremlin accused British specialists of involvement in a deadly Ukrainian strike on the Russian city of Bryansk that used British Storm Shadow missiles and said it would take Britain’s role into account.
Russian allegations and response
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia would take into account what it described as British involvement in the launch of the missiles. Asked by Reuters if there would be a military response to the use of British missiles against sovereign Russian territory, Peskov said Russia would factor in Britain’s role.
“It is obvious that the launch of these missiles was impossible without British specialists,” Peskov said. “We are aware of this, we know it well, and we naturally take it into account.”
Peskov said the “special military operation” was being conducted to prevent what he called barbaric actions by the Kyiv regime from continuing, adding that one of its goals was to demilitarise Ukraine.
Accounts of the strike
The Bryansk regional governor said the strike killed at least six civilians and injured 37 in what he described as a “terrorist missile attack,” without specifying the target. Ukraine said it struck a key plant producing missile components, while Moscow accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting civilians.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv had struck one of the most important military factories in Bryansk that produced electronics for Russian missiles.
International reactions
There was no immediate comment from London. Russia has repeatedly said Ukraine requires Western expertise and Western-supplied targeting data and satellite imagery to fire advanced missiles deep into Russia.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the strike was premeditated and directed against civilians, and called on the United Nations to assess what had occurred.
What do you think should be the next step by the parties involved after the Bryansk strike?