"The plant produced electronics and components for Russian missiles. The very missiles that strike our cities, our villages and civilians," he said. British Storm Shadow missiles were used to hit Kremniy El plant in the border region of Bryansk, Ukraine's military said. Russian local authorities say at least six civilians were killed and 42 injured in the "terrorist missile attack". President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said it was "obvious that the launch of these missiles was impossible without British specialists".

"In order to prevent such barbaric actions by the Kyiv regime from continuing, the special military operation is being conducted," Dmitry Peskov said, using the Russian description for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that Putin ordered on 24 February 2022. Peskov said one of the goals of the Russian operation was to demilitarise Ukraine. Putin himself has often stated that demilitarisation is a central objective of the war. But it is due to the Russian invasion that Ukraine has been receiving Western support - including sophisticated weapons aimed at defending its territories. Russia, for its part, has also been receiving help from its allies, including Shahed drones supplied by Iran and soldiers sent by North Korea. One of those drones was used in an attack which killed two people and injured another five in the second-largest city of Kharkiv on Wednesday, Ukrainian officials said. Another Russian attack a day earlier in Slovyansk, in eastern Ukraine, killed four and injured 16. (BBC)