Ukraine Reportedly Strikes Russia with UK-Provided Storm Shadow Missiles for the First Time

The BBC understands that Ukraine has, for the first time, used UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to strike targets within Russia. Previously, the nation had been limited to deploying these long-range missiles solely within its own territory. These reports of strikes emerge following Washington’s authorization for Ukraine to use US-supplied missiles against Russian territory. The government has declined to comment on these reports, citing operational reasons. However, officials verified that Defence Secretary John Healey engaged in discussions with his Ukrainian counterpart on Tuesday evening. Ministers are anticipated to respond cautiously to the reports, driven by concerns regarding Russia’s potential reaction and to prevent the perception that the UK is spearheading this action. Earlier in the Commons, Mr. Healey stated: “Ukraine’s action on the battlefield speaks for itself.” Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s Defence Minister, similarly refrained from confirming his country’s deployment of Storm Shadow missiles inside Russian territory, though he affirmed it was “using all the means to defend our country”. Matthew Miller, who serves as the US State Department’s spokesman, also chose not to comment on the deployment of the UK-supplied missile or on whether the US was offering navigational support for its operation. When questioned by the BBC regarding whether Ukraine was consulting with or informing the US about the employment of missiles furnished by the UK, Mr. Miller responded that he would not “speak publicly to the use of another country’s weapons”. President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently urged Kyiv’s Western allies to approve the use of long-range missiles against targets within Russia, asserting this is the sole method to conclude the conflict. The Storm Shadow is regarded as an optimal weapon for penetrating fortified bunkers and ammunition depots, similar to those employed by Russia in its conflict with Ukraine. Both the US and the UK had previously withheld permission, with indications suggesting this stance was linked to a desire to avoid escalating the war. However, over the weekend, US President Joe Biden granted authorization for Ukraine to utilize the US-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (Atacms) to conduct strikes against Russia. On Sunday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to this development—which was conveyed through briefings from US officials—by stating, “such things are not announced, missiles speak for themselves”. Subsequently, Ukraine employed the Atacms on Tuesday to target the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine. The US has also sanctioned the shipment of landmines to Ukraine, aiming to impede the advance of Russian forces. During the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, UK Prime Minister Sir Starmer declared that the UK would “ensure Ukraine has what is needed for as long as needed”. The Storm Shadow is an Anglo-French cruise missile possessing a maximum range of approximately 250km (155 miles). In France, it is known as Scalp. This missile is launched from an aircraft, then travels at nearly the speed of sound while maintaining a low altitude, before descending and detonating its high explosive warhead. BBC Verify presented images, purportedly from Telegram, claiming to depict fragments of a Storm Shadow missile in Kursk, to weapons experts. Amael Kotlarski, the Weapons Team manager at Janes, stated: “We can confirm that the large, rectangular piece of debris, featuring a hole in the centre, does indeed match part of the mounting interface of the Storm Shadow / SCALP EG missile.” Another expert was unable to form a conclusion based on the provided images. Additional reporting was contributed by Rebecca Hartmann in Washington and Rupert Carey in London. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.