Moscow accuses Lord Cameron of 'threatening European security' over remarks giving Kyiv go-ahead to fire British-supplied missiles into Russia

The Kremlin yesterday accused Lord Cameron of 'threatening European security' after he authorised Ukraine to fire UK-supplied missiles into Russia.

Moscow hit back after the Foreign Secretary lifted a previous restriction on British rockets only striking enemy targets inside Ukraine, describing it as a 'direct escalation'.

The move could see the Storm Shadow missile – with a range of 155 miles – being aimed at Vladimir Putin's weapons factories and ammunition depots far from the frontline.

Lord Cameron's announcement is a huge boost to Ukraine which has been fighting on the back foot due to chronic shortages of Western military aid.

The decline in support from the US and other allies has coincided with Russia increasing its production of weapons, leading to its troops outgunning the Ukrainians and capturing territory in the country's eastern provinces.

During a visit to Kyiv on Thursday, Lord Cameron said: 'Just as Russia is striking inside Ukraine, you can quite understand why Ukraine feels the need to make sure it is defending itself. Ukraine absolutely has the right to strike back at Russia.'

It came after French president Emmanuel Macron this week suggested the West could send ground troops to Ukraine if Russia made further territorial gains.

In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: 'The statements by Lord Cameron and Mr Macron are very important and very dangerous. 

'They pose a danger to European security... We see a dangerous tendency towards escalation in these statements.'

Britain has increased its military aid to Ukraine to £3billion per year and Lord Cameron said the UK would maintain this support 'for as long as it takes'. 

The Foreign Secretary met Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky and saw Russian military vehicles which had been destroyed by his troops.

He added: 'This aid package of precision-guided bombs, air defence missiles and equipment for 100 mobile air defence teams is the largest from the UK so far.'