Russia says it will strike British targets if UK weapons are used to hit its territory

FILE PHOTO: Spokeswoman of Russia's Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova attends the annual press conference held by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, January 18, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Moscow will retaliate with strikes on British targets if British weapons are used by Ukraine to strike Russian territory.

Zakharova told reporters that British targets "on Ukraine's territory and beyond its borders" could be hit in such a scenario.

She was repeating a warning that Moscow first issued earlier this month after British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Ukraine had a right to use weapons provided by London to hit targets inside Russia.

Russia reacted with outrage to that remark and cited it as one of the reasons why it has opted to hold exercises this month to simulate the launch of tactical nuclear missiles.

(Writing by Felix Light; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)