UK sends long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine
- The weapons, which can hit targets over 250km (155 miles) away, will allow strikes deep into Russian-occupied territory inside the Ukraine
- The move was prompted by Russia’s continuing attacks on Ukrainian civilians, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace says
The UK is providing long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles to help Ukraine counter Russian offensives, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said.
Wallace told the House of Commons on Thursday that the new weapons will give Ukraine its “best chance” of defending itself against Russian aggression. The UK decision was prompted by Russia’s continuing attacks on Ukrainian civilians, he said.
“We simply will not stand by while Russia kills civilians,” Wallace said. “This is a calibrated and proportionate response to Russia’s escalations.”
The weapons, which were jointly developed by the UK and France, have a firing range in excess of 250km (155 miles) and are the longest-range missiles yet provided to Ukraine by western allies. The country has been mired in a 15-month war since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion in February 2022.
Confirmation of the missile deployment came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the BBC in an interview that his country needed more time before launching an offensive to recapture lost territory.