Putin Calls Strikes on UK Sites a "Military Secret"
The Russian president refused to say whether British defence facilities could be targeted, after the UK shared missile technology with Ukraine.
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The Bishkek Press Conference
Vladimir Putin refused to say whether Russia is considering strikes on British military sites on UK territory, telling reporters at a press conference in Kyrgyzstan that the matter is "a secret, a military secret".
The question came from a reporter who asked, according to LBC, "Could British military industrial facilities located on British territory become military targets?" LBC reported that Putin answered with a smirk on his face.
The Russian president was clearer about targets inside Ukraine. "If there are, then absolutely, I can confirm once again: any military facilities in Ukraine are our legitimate target, British or otherwise," he said.
The BBC's Steve Rosenberg described the press conference as taking place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and lasting forty-five minutes. Upday reported that the exchange happened at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
The Missile Decision Behind It
The row follows a decision by UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to give Ukraine blueprints for the Scalp weapon, a version of the British Storm Shadow long-range cruise missile, according to The Independent.
Upday reported that Burnham allowed the European defence manufacturer MBDA to declassify information about British components in the SCALP missile, enabling Ukraine and France to set up joint production lines.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said his country had a right to regard the "direct involvement of British missile forces" as "participation in the war, with all the ensuring consequences". Russia's embassy in London accused the UK of being "an accomplice and co-perpetrator" of strikes inside Russia, upday reported.
Burnham, speaking on a visit to Kyiv, responded to the accusation that Britain was "playing with fire" by saying: "Who started the fire? That's the question, isn't it?"
Reading the Threat
The BBC's Rosenberg wrote that "military secret" is not a yes and not a no, and amounts to psychological pressure intended to keep Britain guessing. He added that it cannot be concluded that Russian missiles are about to be used against targets in the UK.
Philip Ingram, a former British Army intelligence colonel, told LBC the threats should not be dismissed but that what Putin is threatening is "nothing new", citing existing Russian cyber attacks and activity against undersea cables.
Both the BBC and The i Paper noted that Germany has blamed Russia for a drone attack on Leipzig airport in August. Putin accused Germany of "planting the evidence".
What Russia would actually do, and when, is not stated in any of the reporting.
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