Britain delivers long-range Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine, in first

This was reported by CNN with reference to several high-ranking Western officials, Ukrinform saw.

As noted, Storm Shadow is a long-range cruise missile developed jointly by the UK and France. It is typically launched from the air.

With a firing range in excess of 250km, or 155 miles, it is just short of the 185-mile range capability of the US-made surface-to-surface Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, that Ukraine has long asked for, according to the report.

It is important that Storm Shadow boasts of a sufficient operational range, being capable of striking deep into the Russian-captured territory of Ukraine, including temporarily occupied by Russia.

A Western official told CNN that Britain had received assurances from the Ukrainian government that these missiles would only be used within the sovereign territory of Ukraine and not be targeting Russian territory.

According to the publication, British officials have often made public statements defining Crimea as Ukrainian sovereign territory, labeling it as an “illegally annexed” territory.

According to a senior U.S. official, the Storm Shadow missile is "a real game changer from a range perspective" and gives Kyiv a capability it has been asking for since the outset of the war.

It is noted that this is not the first time that Britain has gone further than the United States in the matter of arming Ukraine to repel Russian aggression. The country became Ukraine’s first ally to announce it was sending modern Western tanks to Ukraine, pledging 14 Challenger 2 MBTs in January. It was only after London's move that the U.S. announced it would provide M-1 Abrams.

Earlier this year, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Britain was looking into sending long-range weapons to Ukraine.

British Defense Minister Ben Wallace also said he did not rule out the possibility of supplying Ukraine with Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which can hit targets at a range of more than 250 km.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, British top diplomat James Cleverley emphasized the need to end the war in Ukraine as soon as possible, and to this end, he called on partners to provide Kyiv with all the necessary capabilities.

Photo: Rept0n1x