Ukraine used British Storm Shadow missiles to destroy one of Russia’s leading military production plants.

On Tuesday, Kyiv’s forces launched the weapons at the Russian border region of Bryansk, where the Kremniy El factory produces components for Moscow’s missiles.

Local authorities said seven people were killed and dozens more injured in the attack, which Russia blamed on Britain.

The strike caused “significant damage”, according to Ukraine’s general staff, which described it as “part of a systematic effort to reduce the military-economic potential of the Russian aggressor”.

The Russian foreign ministry accused Ukraine of “deliberately targeting civilians” and said its Western allies “bear full responsibility for the consequences of this strike”.

It said: “Britain has stepped beyond the bounds of international law and is ready… to move the conflict to a fundamentally new level in terms of destruction and human casualties.”

The existence of the military facility was not mentioned.

Storm Shadows are jointly manufactured by Britain and France and it is public knowledge that London has donated the missiles to Kyiv to allow it to “defend itself”.


Footage of the strike released by the Ukrainian army showed multiple impacts as missiles hit the plant, sending huge plumes of smoke into the air.

Alexander Bogomaz, the Bryansk region governor, described the incident as a “terrorist missile attack”. He later declared Wednesday a day of mourning.

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, without providing evidence, said: “It is obvious that the launch of these missiles was impossible without British specialists.

“We are aware of this, we know it well, and we naturally take it into account.”