Key Putin ally says assassinating Brits 'legitimate' in 'undeclared war'

31 May 2023 , 09:14

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Dmitry Medvedev, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, has described the UK as an "eternal enemy" (Image: Getty Images)

A former Russian President has said it is "legitimate" to assassinate British politicians and officials - saying the UK has launched an "undeclared war" against Moscow.

Dmitry Medvedev - now deputy chairman of Vladimir Putin's security council - branded Britain an "eternal enemy" of the Russian state and said officials are a "legitimate military target".

Mr Medvedev, a close ally of the warmonger President, made the remarks after Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said Ukraine had the right to "project force beyond its borders" into Russia.

He said: "The goofy officials of the UK, our eternal enemy, should remember that within the framework of the universally accepted international law which regulates modern warfare, including the Hague and Geneva Conventions with their additional protocols, their state can also be qualified as being at war.

"Today, the UK acts as Ukraine's ally, providing it with military aid in the form of equipment and specialists, i.e., de facto, is leading an undeclared war against Russia.

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Medvedev claimed the UK is involved in an 'undeclared war' with Russia (Getty Images)

"That being the case, any of its public officials (either military, or civil, who facilitate the war) can be considered as a legitimate military target."

Ukrainian authorities have denied launching the drone attack which hit Moscow on Tuesday, but there has been an escalation in incidents within Russia.

Yesterday Mr Cleverly told journalists in Estonia that Ukraine has the right to "project force" beyond its own borders for self-defence.

He said: "I don't have details, and I am not going to speculate about the nature of the drone attacks in Moscow. So what I'm about to say are more general points, rather than on that specific incident.

"Ukraine does have the legitimate right to defend itself. It has the legitimate right to do so within its own borders, of course, but it does also have the right to project force beyond its borders to undermine Russia's ability to project force into Ukraine itself.

"So legitimate military targets beyond its own border are part of Ukraine's self-defence, and we should recognise that.

"That is not to say that I have any particular assessment over the attacks in Moscow, but more broadly military targets beyond its own border are internationally recognised as being legitimate as part of a nation's self-defence."

James Cleverly said Ukraine can legitimately strike beyond its borders in self defence (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Downing Street said it was confident no British-supplied equipment was used in the drone attack.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said he would not "speculate on the origin of the attacks", adding: "Obviously what we have seen are significant attacks on Kyiv in recent days, including on civilians."

The latest briefing from the UK's Ministry of Defence said: "Since the start of May 2023, Russia has increasingly ceded the initiative in the conflict and is reacting to Ukrainian action rather than actively progressing towards its own war aims.

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"During May 2023, Russia has launched 20 nights of one-way-attack uncrewed aerial vehicle and cruise missile attacks deep inside Ukraine.

"Russia has had little success in its likely aims of neutralising Ukraine's improved air defences and destroying Ukrainian counter-attack forces. On the ground, it has redeployed security forces to react to partisan attacks inside western Russia."

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Dave Burke