Burnham Backs Ukraine 100% After Russia's Drone Warning
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- Andy Burnham declared Britain "not fair-weather friends" and will back Ukraine "100%," after Russia's embassy accused London of "deliberately opting for an escalation" and warned the UK would pay a "higher price."
- A BBC military source confirmed British-made drones were used in recent Ukrainian strikes on Russia that reportedly caused more than £35bn in economic damage, per the source.
- Ukraine launched roughly 620 drones at the Moscow region on Monday night and 822 drones on Saturday night — 600 aimed at Moscow — damaging a Wildberries warehouse and injuring a 10-year-old girl, according to regional governor Andrey Vorobyov.
- Russia's latest strikes on Ukraine killed 17 people, including 10 in Pechenihy hit by two missiles; UN officials said July's 437 civilian deaths in Ukraine were the highest monthly toll since May 2022.
- Ukraine has supplemented imported drones with homegrown weaponry, including its FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile used in strikes on Russian oil refineries and warehouses in recent weeks.
- Germany warned of a "real, very acute" hybrid-attack risk after a drone loaded with explosives was defused near Leipzig/Halle airport, and is preparing expanded counter-drone and hacking powers for the BND and BfV intelligence agencies.
Why it matters: Russia's vague "consequences" warning to the UK comes as Ukraine's drone campaign — including British-made systems — inflicts tens of billions in damage on Russian infrastructure and energy, underscoring Moscow's rhetorical escalation against Western backers while its forces remain stalled at roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
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