Ex-UK Army Chief Calls Remarks By Russia's Medvedev About Legitimate Targets 'Concerning'

Former UK Chief of the General Staff Richard Dannatt on Thursday called "concerning" recent remarks by Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev that any UK official might be considered as a legitimate target due to London's actions against Moscow, but said there were no reasons for excessive worry

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st June, 2023) Former UK Chief of the General Staff Richard Dannatt on Thursday called "concerning" recent remarks by Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev that any UK official might be considered as a legitimate target due to London's actions against Moscow, but said there were no reasons for excessive worry.

On Tuesday, UK Foreign Minister James Cleverly said, commenting on the drone attack against Moscow, that Ukraine has the right to "project force beyond its borders." The next day, Medvedev, in response to these remarks, said that British officials could be considered legitimate targets, since the United Kingdom is "de facto" at war with Russia.

"Well, it's concerning, but I don't think that we should be unduly worried," Dannatt said in an interview with Sky news.

He added that UK officials had been subject to various threats on numerous occasions throughout the history of the country, for instance during crises over Northern Ireland.

The former UK army chief also said that Cleverly's statement was "perfectly reasonable," and that it is up to Ukrainians to decide whether to use their own weaponry against targets in Russia.

At the same time, he added that Kiev should refrain from using arms supplied by the Western countries.

"What they must not do, and this is really important, is use clearly Western-sourced weapons. What we don't want to see is ... our Storm Shadow (cruise missiles) showing up somewhere in Russia," Dannatt told Sky News.

On May 11, Ukraine was confirmed to have received its first long-range cruise missiles, which were sent by the United Kingdom. The 250km-range Storm Shadow missiles came with a condition that they would be used only "within Ukrainian sovereign territory." The Russian Defense Ministry claims Ukraine has violated this condition as its strikes have resulted in civilian casualties in the Luhansk People's Republic, which Russia considers to be part of its own territory since referendums in September 2022.