Russia warned Britain Thursday that British military installations and equipment could become targets if Ukraine uses British-supplied long-range missiles to strike deep inside Russian territory.
According to Fox News, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the U.K. was "one step away" from becoming legally complicit in what Moscow described as attacks on civilians.
She warned that continuing Britain's current policy toward Ukraine could lead to "catastrophic consequences," Reuters reported.
"We have repeatedly warned that any British military installations and equipment in Ukraine and beyond its borders could be targeted in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory carried out using British weapons," Zakharova said during a briefing in Moscow.
Her comments followed Russia's accusation that Ukraine had used British Storm Shadow missiles to strike a shopping center in Russian-controlled Donetsk a day earlier. Moscow said civilians, including children, were wounded in the attack.
Zakharova called on British officials to "immediately, in the most resolute and unequivocal manner, abandon the hostile, aggressive line" to prevent the conflict from reaching an "entirely new level."
The warning came as Britain continued to expand its military cooperation with Ukraine.
During a visit to Kyiv on Aug. 24 for Ukraine's Independence Day, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that a defense contractor could release classified information about British components used in the long-range SCALP cruise missile.
Ukraine and France are seeking to establish production lines for the missile in Ukraine. SCALP, the French version of Britain's Storm Shadow, has a range of more than 155 miles.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov accused Britain of "participating in the war" and "pouring fuel on the fire."
Britain's Ministry of Defense rejected the criticism, saying London stood "shoulder to shoulder" with Ukraine and remained committed to providing Kyiv with the equipment needed "to defend itself against (President Vladimir) Putin's illegal invasion."
"Russia should be in no doubt about the resolve of this government to stand against Russian aggression in Ukraine and against the U.K. and our allies," the spokesperson said.
Russia issued a similar warning Aug. 17 after reports said British-made drones supplied to Ukraine had been used to strike military and industrial targets inside Russia.
The latest warning came as President Donald Trump told Axios he was not concerned Russia would attack a NATO member.
On Thursday, Russia's foreign intelligence chief, Sergei Naryshkin, also confirmed that he met with CIA Director John Ratcliffe in Moscow, describing the talks as routine.