Russia summons British diplomat over arms supplies to Ukraine

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday it had summoned Britain's charge d'affaires in Russia Danae Dholakia over London's increased arms supplies to Ukraine, reported Xinhua.

On Aug. 24, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham's office announced that the country had authorized defense company MBDA to release classified information on British components of the long-range SCALP missile. The information will help Kiev assemble these weapons.

Britain's "sharply confrontational line on the Ukrainian track is clearly subordinated to the task of dragging out and escalating the armed conflict by all means, and only pushes further away the prospect of its political settlement," said the ministry in a statement.

According to the ministry, Dholakia was informed that Russia reserved the right to take necessary retaliatory measures in accordance with its right to self-defense. The ministry also warned that any British military facilities on Ukrainian territory used to launch strikes against Russia would be regarded as legitimate targets.