Russia warns Europe over drone support for Ukraine, calls it escalation
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Russia warned on April 15 that European support for Ukraine's drone capabilities could lead to "unpredictable consequences," accusing several countries of becoming part of Kyiv's "strategic rear," according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
Ukraine and its European partners have recently expanded defense cooperation, including agreements with the United Kingdom and Germany on joint initiatives such as drone supply and production, alongside a combined 2 billion euros ($2.35 billion) in new military aid pledged by Spain and Belgium.
The ministry said drones used in Ukrainian strikes are manufactured with support from facilities across Europe, naming cities including London, Munich, Prague, and Riga, as well as component production sites in Spain and Italy.
Western support for Ukraine's defense industry has increasingly included joint production, financing, and the supply of components from multiple countries, particularly in the drone sector, which Kyiv has rapidly expanded to sustain long-range strikes inside Russia.
Russia also said it had published the names and addresses of companies allegedly involved in drone production, saying this was intended to inform the European public about what it described as the "true sources" of threats to European security.
In recent months, Ukraine has intensified long-range drone strikes on military and industrial targets inside Russia. Ukrainian forces hit more than 70 industrial targets in March alone, including oil and gas facilities, as part of a sustained campaign to degrade Russia's military and economic capacity.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has framed closer defense integration with Europe as a strategic necessity, saying that "Ukraine will unite with the European security system or Europe will become part of Russia," as Kyiv deepens defense ties with European partners.
