Ukraine War: Russia ‘Warning’ That ‘Britain Is Too Deep in This Conflict’

British Army personnel teach members of the Ukrainian armed forces how to operate multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS), on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England, on June 25, 2022. PA Media

Russian ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin has warned that Britain is drawing too close to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

“We perfectly know about participation of British specialists in training, preparation, and execution of plans against the Russian infrastructure and the Russian fleet in the Black Sea. We know that it has been done,” Kelin said in an interview with Sky News.

“It is dangerous ... It can bring us to the line of—I would say—no return. Return is always possible, but we should avoid escalation. And this is a warning actually that Britain is too deep in this conflict. It means the situation is becoming more and more dangerous.”

When asked to provide evidence to support his accusations against the UK, Kelin said that Moscow has handed over its proof to the British ambassador and that it will be made public “pretty soon.”

A drone attack on the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which took place last weekend, reportedly ended up damaging three ships, including the flagship HMS Makarov. British ambassador to Moscow Deborah Bronnert was summoned by the Russian foreign ministry, which claimed the involvement of UK forces.

According to the UK government, the allegations made by Russia are aimed at distracting attention from Moscow’s illegal invasion of Ukraine as well as its losses on the battlefield.

UK Aid

The UK has so far supplied Ukraine with several weapons in its war against Russia. In June, London confirmed sending M270 multiple-launch rocket systems with M31A1 precision munitions to Ukraine.

Britain sent more than 5,000 next-generation light anti-tank weapons (Nlaw) that are capable of destroying tanks at short ranges with only a single shot.

“Nlaw was absolutely critical to the defeat of Russian ground thrusts in the early stages of the war,” Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies, told the BBC.

In addition, London has also supplied Kyiv with hundreds of Brimstone short-range missiles, at least 120 armored vehicles, Malloy T150 heavy-lift drones, and more than 200 Javelin anti-tank missiles.

The UK is the second-largest military donor to Ukraine, committing 2.3 billion pounds ($2.62 billion) in 2022. The British government has confirmed it will meet or exceed the amount of military aid given to Ukraine this year in 2023.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier accused the UK of planning to destroy his country to lay hands on its natural resources. In April, the Kremlin had accused London of provoking Ukraine to attack Russian territory.