The Home Secretary has said that “we will continue” to see “aggressive language” from Vladimir Putin after the Russian leader threatened to strike the UK.
Yvette Cooper told Sky News that there has been an “aggressive, blustering tone” from Mr Putin throughout the conflict, which she called “completely unacceptable”.
On Thursday, Russia used a new ballistic missile in Ukraine, which Mr Putin said was in response to the UK and US allowing missiles they have supplied to Ukraine to be used to strike targets in Russia.
In a televised address, Mr Putin said: “We consider ourselves entitled to use our weapons against military facilities of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities.”
Asked about the Russian leader’s threat to use weapons against nations that allow their own weapons to be used against Russia, Ms Cooper told Sky News: “Russia invaded a sovereign state.
“We have seen the aggressive, blustering tone and response from Putin all the way through this, it’s completely unacceptable, and we will continue to see that sort of aggressive language.
“We are clear that that sort of behaviour cannot be tolerated, and that’s why we have provided the support to Ukraine as they defend themselves against Putin’s aggression.”
As with other Government ministers, Ms Cooper also declined to confirm officially whether British weapons had been used by Ukraine in Russia, saying: “I’m not going to comment on the detail of any individual defence operations.”
The UK is believed to have allowed its Storm Shadow missiles to be used by Ukrainian forces within the Kursk region of Russia, while the US has given permission for its ATACMS weapons to be fired at targets in Mr Putin’s country.
Mr Putin confirmed Russia has tested the new intermediate-range weapon in an attack on Dnipro in response.
The US said the weapon was a new, experimental intermediate-range missile based on Russia’s existing RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile.
The missile’s range far outstrips that of newly authorised US and British-supplied weapons, which can hit targets around 250-300km away.
The distance from Moscow to London is around 2,500km, suggesting the range of the new missile could threaten the UK.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Secretary has vowed to continue to “do everything that is necessary” to help Ukraine combat Russia.
David Lammy and his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot wrote in the i newspaper promising to continue to support Ukraine and put the country “in the best position to achieve a just and lasting peace”.
The two said: “By launching his illegal and unprovoked full-scale war of aggression in Ukraine 1,000 days ago this week, not only did Vladimir Putin accelerate the largest war on the European continent since the Second World War, he also sought to rewrite the international order.
“The annihilation of the global architecture that has been the cornerstone of international peace and security for generations. All to justify his illegal and intolerable aggression against a sovereign European country.
“The UK and France will not let him do so. Together with our allies, we will do everything that is necessary to put Ukraine in the best position to achieve a just and lasting peace.”
