UK to Continue Military Support for Ukraine Despite Russia’s ‘Outrageous Threats’ – Burnham

The United Kingdom will maintain its military support for Ukraine despite threats from Russia over plans to help Kyiv produce SCALP long-range missiles domestically, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said.

Burnham made the commitment on Monday during a visit to Kyiv to mark Ukraine’s Independence Day, as international supporters of the war-torn country prepared to discuss continued assistance.

“Despite Russia’s outrageous threats to my country, we will continue our support for Ukraine’s defence,” Burnham said in a speech ahead of a meeting of Ukraine’s international backers.

The Kremlin has accused Britain of undermining peace efforts by providing Ukraine with information needed to manufacture SCALP missiles. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that Russian forces were identifying potential production sites and could target facilities involved in making the weapons.

“Britain is methodically and regularly throwing oil on the fire and methodically and regularly plotting schemes to prevent even the slightest progress in the peace process,” Peskov told reporters.

The British government, however, said it would authorise defence company MBDA to release information on UK-made components used in the Franco-British missile. The move would allow Ukraine to work towards producing the weapons within the country.

The SCALP is a long-range cruise missile with a reported range of about 250 kilometres (155 miles). Britain and France have supplied the weapon to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, although Kyiv has yet to manufacture the missiles domestically.

Burnham’s latest pledge signals that Britain intends to maintain its defence backing for Ukraine despite the escalating rhetoric from Moscow. The dispute over domestic missile production could further heighten tensions as Ukraine’s allies continue to weigh military assistance against efforts to find a path towards peace.