Kremlin Blames UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham for Escalating Ukraine Conflict Amid Visit to Kyiv

The Kremlin has accused Britain of directly siding with Ukraine in the ongoing war, claiming that recent missile announcements and military support are fueling the conflict. During Prime Minister Andy Burnham's visit to Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov alleged that Britain is actively undermining any potential progress toward a peaceful settlement, particularly following reports that British-made drones have been deployed in attacks on Russian soil.

“Britain is involved in this war on the side of the Kyiv regime,” Peskov stated, adding that London routinely adds fuel to the fire and blocks peaceful resolutions. Meanwhile, during his first official visit as UK Prime Minister, Andy Burnham met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Ukraine's Independence Day, declaring that Britain remains fully committed and condemning what he termed outrageous threats from Moscow. Reports indicate that Burnham is also providing blueprints to enable Ukraine to manufacture its own long-range missiles.

Moscow previously warned London of unspecified consequences over the drone supplies. In response, former MI6 head Sir Richard Moore defended the UK's position in an interview with the BBC, emphasizing that Britain is simply supporting Ukraine's right to self-defense against foreign aggression while remaining vigilant against Russian grey-zone activities.

Amid these rising tensions, the Russian embassy in London confirmed that its long-standing ambassador, Andrey Kelin, departed from the UK capital over the summer after seven years in the role. Kelin had previously warned that London's actions would carry inevitable consequences. Defying the Kremlin's stance during his first foreign policy speech, Prime Minister Andy Burnham vowed that the UK's support for Ukraine would not waver despite Moscow's warnings.

As part of this continued military collaboration, Burnham announced that the UK will allow defense company MBDA to share classified information regarding British components for long-range Scalp missiles. This will facilitate a plan for France and Ukraine to enable Ukrainian assembly of the missiles, a topic being discussed in a high-level meeting co-chaired by Mr. Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron.