Russia Warns European Arms Factories Could Be Targets

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned on September 30 that European factories producing weapons for Ukraine could be military targets, saying facilities outside Ukraine should not be assumed safe. Moscow did not name a specific factory or announce an operation against a NATO member, leaving unclear whether the warning signals any planned attack. Zakharova made the statement at a press briefing while responding to a question about Poland potentially hosting a factory for Patriot interceptor missiles for Ukraine. She said European military support and weapons production meant those countries were directly involved in the conflict and argued that such support delayed its resolution. Those characterizations reflect Moscow’s position; they do not establish that European countries are parties to the war. The warning drew a response from EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, who said on October 1 that a Russian strike on a weapons factory in a European NATO country would trigger the alliance’s Article 5 mutual-defense clause. Article 5 treats an armed attack against one member as an attack against all, prompting allies to assist the country targeted.