The Kremlin’s propaganda machine has accused British security services of providing explosives used in a series of high-profile assassinations – and warned that ‘British blood must be spilled’
The propaganda wing of Vladimir Putin has hurled accusations at Britain, alleging that UK-supplied explosives were used in a spate of high-profile assassinations within Russia and issuing a dire warning that “British blood must be spilled” as recompense.
The accusation was broadcasted on state-managed Russian TV, where Kremlin spokespersons pointed the finger squarely at British security services for orchestrating the deaths of top military officials, including a pair of generals.
Even as they failed to present any proof, they delivered a hair-raising threat of vengeance aimed at the UK. The TV program turned its attention to the recent slaying of Major-General Yaroslav Moskalik, 59, who met his end via an explosion of a Volkswagen Golf while he was passing by it close to his residence in Moscow.
General Moskalik, who was instrumental in military planning and is said to have routinely briefed Putin on activities in Crimea, was highlighted.
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This very programme made a nod to the demise of Lieutenant-General Igor Kirillov, 54 – a notable figure in chemical and biological warfare eradicated through a bombing last December – as well as Yevgeny Rytikov, 34, a connoisseur of electronic warfare, whose life ended in Bryansk earlier this month.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, seemed to own up to his nation’s hand in these incidents, divulging earlier in the week that his intelligence chief kept him in the loop “on the liquidation of individuals from the top command of the Russian armed forces”, reports the Express.
He expressed his gratitude with the terse remark: “Thank you for your work.”
On state channel Russia-1, vocal Putin supporter Vladimir Solovyov pointed the finger at Britain for supplying the explosives used in recent attacks. In conversation with munitions expert Andrei Klintsevich, Solovyov raised the provocative question: where did the material originate from?
Without any evidence, Mr Klintsevich made a bold assertion: “It is all British, imported by the ton. We do realise that someone is creating a network of planted explosives, and transporting these explosives.”
Solovyov further speculated: “So someone had to smuggle it across Europe, removing it from warehouses.” He then lashed out with an alarming statement claiming that “When we say that British security services are behind every terrorist attack, it means that the blood of the British who authorise the killings on Russian territory must be spilled.” In an enraged outburst, he warned: “They must realise that they will pay personally. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”
Ex-Russian senator Mr Klintsevich insisted that tracing explosive batch origins was plausible. According to him: “All explosives have certain types of labelling. Each time a batch is made… it is possible to understand where it came from. I’m sure our intelligence services have long understood the source down to the factory and the year of manufacture.”
Solovyov ended the programme with a menacing hint of retribution targeting British intelligence agents. He warned: “If these factories blow up – as well as the headquarters of the intelligence agencies that gave the go-ahead for the terrorist attacks – they should not be surprised.”
The UK Government has yet to make an official statement on the matter. But in a significant move, Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced sanctions in October 2024 against three Russian agencies and three high-ranking individuals engaged in disinformation campaigns to destabilise Ukrainian democracy.
Lammy condemned Putin’s actions, saying: “Putin is so desperate to undermine European support for Ukraine he is now resorting to clumsy, ineffective efforts to try and stoke unrest,” and declared the UK’s firm stance against such deceitful interference.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly Committee on Information in May 2022, Ambassador James Roscoe criticised Russia for its hostile information campaigns targeting Ukrainian sovereignty and obscuring the truth, cautioning that these disinformation tactics risk eroding public faith in both the media and global institutions.