UK drone factories could be attacked by 'unknown sources' Kremlin adviser warns

UK drone factories could be attacked by 'unknown sources' Kremlin adviser warns Former Russian deputy foreign minister Andrei Fedorov said he could not "100% exclude" the prospect of "semi-military" action against the UK as tensions escalate over British support for Ukraine A Kremlin adviser has warned that UK factories manufacturing drones for Ukraine could face attacks from "unknown sources" after Britain agreed to share long-range missile blueprints with the war-ravaged nation. Former Russian deputy foreign minister Andrei Fedorov said he could not "100% exclude" the possibility of "semi-military" action against Britain, as Prime Minister Andy Burnham made his first overseas visit to Kyiv since taking office at No 10. During the trip, the UK reaffirmed its "unwavering" support for Ukraine, which in turn handed over what officials have described as a "goldmine" of battlefield data to help strengthen British security. Mr Fedorov warned that "sooner or later, there might be not only verbal but maybe some visible reaction from Russia towards the UK". When pressed on what form this might take, he said: "There are different discussions how it should look like – it might be so-called technical reaction, maybe some hackers attack from unknown source, not from official level of course. "There might be different political steps and I cannot exclude 100% that there might be some semi-military, for example." When pushed further to clarify what he meant by "semi-military", he told BBC Newsnight: "For example, something might happen with enterprises, with the factories which are producing drones for Ukraine, etc etc." When asked whether this meant British factories on home soil could face military strikes from Russia, the adviser responded: "They could be attacked, not by Russia, but by... from unknown sources." The UK has agreed to declassify blueprints for British-made components for the Scalp missile, a French-produced version of the Storm Shadow that has already been deployed to strike targets inside Russia. The move has drawn fierce condemnation from Moscow, with President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov warning it would add "fuel to the fire" of the ongoing conflict. However, Mr Burnham hit back at reporters in Kyiv: "Who started the fire? That's the question, isn't it?". During his visit, the Prime Minister pressed Ukraine's allies to dispatch more interceptor missiles to Kyiv as the country continues to struggle under relentless Russian bombardment. He co-chaired his first coalition of the willing meeting, declaring that the group was doing "everything we can" to "dig into our own stocks and help others dig into their stocks". Stocks of Patriots have been redirected to the Middle East following the outbreak of war with Iran, leaving Ukraine receiving significantly fewer missiles this year compared to previous years. Russia has sought to exploit the shortage by intensifying its ballistic missile strikes, killing at least 23 people and wounding more than 100 in just the past three days. Speaking later on Monday, Mr Zelensky welcomed the talks between the coalition of the willing but warned that "now, we have to deal with a funding gap", raising the possibility of bringing forward part of the European loan to Ukraine, or unlocking frozen Russian assets. "The total gap is 27 billion," he said in a post on X. "One of the main options is to bring forward part of the European loan funding this year. But we should not give up on other ideas for how to ensure fair protection in this war – a war that Russia started and continues to prolong." "Obviously, with a change of prime minister, presumably people might think is there a change of policy – well, I'm here to say there isn't," he told ITV News. Mr Burnham and Mr Zelensky have also signed an agreement granting the Ministry of Defence, working alongside selected British firms, access to Ukraine's "Avengers" AI database, Downing Street confirmed. The deal is anticipated to help the UK draw on Ukraine's frontline experience and develop AI-driven solutions to national security challenges facing both nations. While the agreement is initially centred on defence and security, officials suggest the deal could "revolutionise all parts of public life, from air traffic control to train systems". The first trial of the new partnership is expected to see AI sensors provide an additional layer of protection for military bases, guarding against protestors and hostile actors. A second project will see the UK and Ukraine join forces on low-power AI chips that could power a new generation of longer-lasting machines capable of operating in more hostile environments. No 10 described the so-called "Avengers AI Labs" as "a goldmine of battlefield data" which would afford British researchers "unparalleled access to real-world operational insights and the opportunity to 'plug and play'."