CNN: UK provides long-range missiles to Ukraine ahead of counterattack

CNN (US) quoted senior Western officials as saying that the UK had provided a number of Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine ahead of the Russian counter-offensive campaign.

Storm Shadow long-range cruise missile. Photo: AFP

According to the source, Britain made the decision to send weapons to Ukraine after receiving assurances from the Ukrainian government that the Storm Shadow missiles would only be used inside the sovereign territory of Ukraine, and not to attack targets inside Russia.

Commenting on the move, a senior US military official told CNN that from a range perspective, the Storm Shadow would be “a real game changer.”

Meanwhile, an earlier report in The Washington Post said the transition was imminent.

For his part, on May 11, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov protested against the UK’s decision to send Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine. The official also warned that Moscow would respond with an appropriate response. He pledged that Russian military officials would make appropriate decisions, but did not specify what specific actions might be.

“We do not agree with this transfer decision. Our military will respond with an appropriate response,” Mr. Peskov warned.

Earlier this week, citing a procurement notice from the International Fund for Ukraine, another media outlet reported that London appeared ready to provide Ukraine with long-range missiles, a weapon Kiev has long sought and that the Biden administration has refused to provide. British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on May 9 refused to confirm that London was ready to send long-range missiles to Kiev.

The Storm Shadow long-range cruise missile was developed by the UK and France in the 1990s and is typically launched from the air. It has a top speed of 1,000 km/h and can strike targets up to 300 km away, comparable to the US-made Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).

According to The Washington Post, London hopes its decision will convince Washington to follow suit by supplying long-range weapons to Kiev. However, according to Politico, the US has not been swayed by the UK's move.

Several sources familiar with the matter said that officials in the Biden administration were said to be “breathing a sigh of relief” at Britain’s decision to send long-range missiles to Ukraine, a step Washington was reluctant to take.

Officials say Washington is concerned about the risk of depleting its ATACMS stockpile and the potential for escalation if Kiev uses longer-range missiles to attack targets on Russian territory.

Britain is the second largest military aid donor to Ukraine after the United States, with weapons worth about $2.5 billion. British officials announced in January that they would be sending 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine, a move that would pave the way for the United States, Germany and several other countries to provide main battle tanks to Kiev.

Moscow has repeatedly warned that arms deliveries to Ukraine will only prolong the conflict without changing the outcome. The Kremlin has also warned that military aid risks escalating tensions, especially if Western weapons are used to attack Russian cities or attempt to seize Russian territory.

According to VNA

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