Russia has warned that it may target British military assets in Ukraine following remarks made by Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron during a visit to Kyiv. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Cameron’s comments were provocative and could lead to a significant escalation of tensions between Vladimir Putin and the West.

During his visit to Kyiv, Cameron suggested that Ukraine has the right to use British-supplied missiles against Russian territory. In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the British ambassador, Nigel Casey, to express its disapproval of what it described as “bellicose and provocative statements”.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying: “The Russian side views Cameron’s words as a serious escalation and evidence of the growing involvement of the UK in military operations alongside Kyiv.”

The statement further warned that any use of British missiles by Ukraine against Russian territory would trigger a retaliatory response targeting British military assets in Ukraine and potentially elsewhere.

The Kremlin’s response to Cameron’s statements is part of a broader reaction to recent comments made by French President Emmanuel Macron, who suggested the possibility of deploying French troops to Ukraine. Russia sees these remarks as contributing to increased tensions and views them as a direct threat to its security interests.

The Russian Ministry of Defence has also launched nuclear exercises involving troops near the Ukrainian border, indicating a heightened state of alert. The exercises involve the Russian Navy and ground forces, with a focus on the use of “non-strategic nuclear weapons”.

The Kremlin is also investigating claims from Russian military bloggers that French troops are already deployed in eastern Ukraine, where they reportedly suffered casualties in the town of Chasiv Yar. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged these reports but noted that they needed to be verified.

The situation has led to further diplomatic strains between Russia and Western countries.

In a related development, the German ambassador to Russia, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, was recalled to Berlin for consultations following accusations of Russian cyberattacks against Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD).