Russia summons British envoy over weapons supplies to Ukraine

The Russian ‌Foreign Ministry summoned ​Britain's chargé d'affaires in Moscow, Danae Dholakia, on Friday to issue ‌a formal protest about what it called London's "further increase" in weapons supplies to Ukraine.

In a statement, the ministry ‌said that by sending more arms to Kyiv, "London is ‌placing itself in the position of an accomplice to the bloody atrocities committed by the Kyiv regime, which can only be ⁠characterised ​as terrorism ⁠and war crimes". A spokesperson for Britain's Foreign Office called the summoning "yet another ⁠attempt to deflect attention from Russia's barbaric full-scale invasion of ​Ukraine and discredit the UK on the world stage".

Russia ⁠currently has no ambassador in London and relations are dire. The departure ⁠of ​the previous Russian ambassador, Andrei Kelin, in July prompted British media speculation - denied by Russia - that ⁠Moscow was downgrading diplomatic relations because of London's role as one ⁠of ⁠Ukraine's biggest supporters.