Andy Burnham
Burnham authorising the transfer of classified technical specifications and component blueprints to enable domestic Ukrainian missile assembly iabuk/Flickr

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has authorised the release of classified missile technology to Ukraine, clearing defence firm MBDA to share restricted information relating to British-made components of the Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missile during his first official visit to Kyiv on Ukraine's Independence Day.

Moscow responded within hours of the announcement. In a press briefing, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the action crossed a critical line.

'Britain is participating in this war,' Peskov told reporters. 'It is participating in this war on the side of the Kyiv regime.'

Inside the Secret Missile Technology Transfer

The authorisation centres on the joint Anglo-French SCALP/Storm Shadow cruise missile system, which has a strike range of approximately 250 kilometres. According to the UK Government, the agreement allows MBDA to release classified information on UK components of the long-range SCALP missile.

Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the framework will support efforts to establish local assembly of the missiles in Ukraine. This paves the way for Ukraine and France to advance plans for local assembly of the cruise missiles and could reduce Ukraine's reliance on supplies of fully assembled weapons from Western allies.

Britain had previously supplied fully assembled Storm Shadow missiles from its own stockpiles, a policy in place since 2023. The shift to sharing classified technical information marks a move from supplying end-user munitions to providing information that could help Ukraine expand its own long-range strike production.

The Ministry of Defence has described the change as a licensing and information-sharing arrangement rather than the immediate deployment of new weapons.

Kremlin Warns Britain Over Missile Production Support

Moscow's reaction was swift, with Peskov accusing the UK government of obstructing a peaceful resolution to the conflict and adding 'fuel to the fire' by increasing its support for Ukraine.

Peskov said Russian forces were seeking information to identify production sites for such missiles and other military equipment in Ukraine, and warned that measures would be taken to destroy those sites.

The warnings did not amount to a formal declaration of hostilities against the United Kingdom. In Kyiv, Burnham rejected the Kremlin's position.

Speaking alongside President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the Independence Day ceremonies, he said: 'Who started the fire? That's the question, isn't it?' He described the Russian warnings as 'outrageous threats' and reaffirmed British support for Ukraine.

Burnham Backs Kyiv as Europe Reshapes Security

The announcement is part of a wider European security shift. Following a ceremony in which Zelenskyy awarded state honours to international partners, Burnham confirmed that Britain is co-chairing the 'Coalition of the Willing' alongside France and Germany, aimed at securing long-term defence and security support for Kyiv. The UK Government says Burnham co-chaired his first meeting of the coalition during his visit to Kyiv.

The coalition's focus includes strengthening cooperation with Ukraine's defence industry and sharing relevant technologies, as European countries seek to support Kyiv's military capabilities despite the ongoing threat of Russian strikes.

The shift from donating assembled missiles to transferring manufacturing information represents a further expansion of Western military support for Ukraine. It raises questions over where defensive assistance ends and direct involvement in the conflict begins.

How quickly Ukraine's assembly plans can put the British technical information to use, while operating under continued Russian missile threats, remains to be seen.

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