Ukraine War: Moscow Accuses London of Undermining Peace Efforts

10:52

Tensions between Russia and the United Kingdom are reigniting over British military support for Ukraine. As the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham made his first international trip to Kiev, the Kremlin accused London of obstructing any prospects for a peaceful settlement by facilitating Ukraine's production of long-range missiles.

Moscow Raises Its Voice Against London

The Russian presidency reacted strongly on Monday to British announcements regarding the enhancement of Ukrainian military capabilities.

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, accused the UK of actively contributing to the continuation of the conflict and seeking to prevent any progress on the diplomatic front.

According to Moscow, the British decision to allow the transfer of information necessary for the production of Scalp missiles in Ukraine marks a new step in London's involvement in the war.

The Kremlin believes this policy contributes to prolonging hostilities rather than promoting their resolution.

London Aims to Support Local Missile Production

At the same time, Andy Burnham was making his first trip abroad since taking office. The British Prime Minister visited Kiev on the day of the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.

He was set to participate in a meeting with several European leaders supporting Ukraine.

London plans to authorize the defense group MBDA to transfer certain classified information necessary for establishing local production of the Scalp cruise missile, jointly developed by France and the UK.

This cooperation is intended to enable Ukraine and France to strengthen their industrial capabilities related to this long-range weapon system.

Moscow Threatens to Strike Production Sites

The Russian response was not limited to political condemnation.

Dmitry Peskov stated that Russian forces would seek to identify facilities involved in the production of these missiles and would take necessary measures to destroy them.

This statement poses a direct threat to infrastructures that could be involved in the development or manufacturing of these equipments.

It comes as Ukrainian strikes against targets deep within Russian territory have intensified in recent weeks.

Kiev Seeks to Increase the Range of Its Strikes

Since the start of the large-scale Russian offensive in 2022, Ukraine has regularly sought to enhance its capabilities to strike targets far from the front line.

In recent weeks, logistical infrastructures and facilities related to the oil sector have been targeted in Russia.

For Kiev, the ability to reach targets located far from the front line is an important element of its military strategy. The development of local missile production could, in the long term, reduce its dependence on certain external supplies and strengthen its defense industrial capabilities.

Russian-British Relations Continue to Deteriorate

The confrontation over missiles is part of an already deeply deteriorated relationship between Moscow and London.

Russia views the UK as one of Ukraine's main European supporters. For its part, London has maintained a policy of supporting Kiev since the beginning of the large-scale Russian invasion.

This deterioration has also manifested itself on the diplomatic front. The Russian embassy in London recently announced the end of its ambassador's mission, accusing British authorities of contributing to the deterioration of bilateral relations.

In this context, Andy Burnham's visit to Kiev comes at a particularly sensitive moment. While London wants to demonstrate its support for Ukraine and strengthen its military cooperation, Moscow claims that this choice further distances the prospect of a negotiated settlement.