West Suffolk MP warns of Russian threats to Mildenhall drone factory
Nick Timothy says the threats show why the UK needs to invest more in defence
Last updated 2nd Sep 2026
Russian threats against a drone factory near an RAF base have prompted calls for an urgent increase in defence spending.
Nick Timothy, the MP for West Suffolk, said recent threats made by a senior Russian advisor against a local drone factory underlined the need to invest in defence.
Andrei Fedorov, a former deputy foreign minister of Russia, has told British media over the past week that the Russian government was considering a retaliatory attack against the UK.
It follows the UK Government's decision to share blueprints for cruise missile components with Ukraine, allowing it to produce the long-range Scalp missile domestically.
Amid the threats, Ukrspecsystems, a drone factory in Mildenhall owned by a British-Ukrainian firm, has emerged as a possible target.
What the MP said
Mr Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, said: "People in Suffolk, like the British people as a whole, will never be intimidated by Russian threats.
"Our support for Ukraine – which is the victim of unprovoked Russian aggression – will remain as strong as it has always been."
He added: "Threats like these underline the urgency of increasing defence spending – it is deeply concerning that the Chancellor still has no plan for reaching his own target of spending three per cent of GDP on defence by 2030."
The Government's position
The UK Government is currently committed to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2027.
It has described reaching 3 per cent as an ambition, with the Treasury delaying a firm date until next year's spending review.
A government spokesperson has said that review will set out a pathway towards spending 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2035, along with a target date for reaching 3 per cent.
The factory
The factory opened near RAF Mildenhall in February as part of a £200 million investment by the firm.
It is capable of producing around 1,000 drones a month.
Despite the threats, the West Suffolk MP said he was proud to have Ukrspecsystems in Mildenhall, which has created hundreds of new jobs, and looked forward to visiting it in the future.