Zakharova calls arms factories for Ukraine military targets

Maria Zakharova, official spokeswoman for Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Reuters that European arms factories producing weapons for Ukraine are potential Russian military targets. The statement came in response to a question about the possible setting up of production in Poland of missiles for air defence systems intended for Kyiv.

“Arms factories in European countries that produce weapons for Ukraine are potential military targets for Russia, and no one should assume that military enterprises outside Ukraine producing weapons for the Kyiv regime will be safe. Whoever thinks that is mistaken,” Reuters quoted Zakharova as saying.

“European countries are directly involved in the Ukrainian conflict. They are not merely providing assistance — by opening arms factories and setting up joint ventures, they are becoming fully drawn into the conflict. And that only pushes its resolution further away, rather than bringing it closer, as some forces in Europe seem to believe,” she added.

Russia launched its current full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and continues to carry out massive strikes on cities across the country. Ukraine has recently been short of missiles for its air defence systems, making it harder to fend off these attacks.

One option being considered is the licensed production of American missiles for Patriot air defence systems in another country — not necessarily on Ukrainian territory. Representatives of the Polish government have already acknowledged the possibility of setting up such a plant in Poland.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz