UK's secretive storm shadow missile aid bolsters Ukraine
The government of the United Kingdom has supplied Ukraine with dozens of Storm Shadow cruise missiles, according to sources familiar with the matter. Bloomberg reports that this is the first delivery of its kind during Prime Minister Keir Starmer's tenure, who has pledged to continue supporting Ukraine.
The deliveries, which were not publicly announced, occurred a few weeks ago and were commissioned after Ukraine began to deplete its stocks of these long-range missiles, sources told Bloomberg.
British missile salvo on Kursk Oblast
The missiles were sent before the recent decision by the USA and the UK to allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons against targets on Russian territory. The sources declined to provide the exact delivery date or the precise number of missiles, citing the need for operational security.
"We do not comment on operational detail, to do so would only benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin," replied the Ministry of Defence, adding that the UK’s support for Ukraine is "ironclad".
Ukrainian use of Storm Shadow
Ukrainian forces used British Storm Shadow missiles against targets in Russia for the first time last week, a day after using American Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) against military facilities in the western Bryansk Oblast.
A missile salvo was fired at the village of Maryino in the Kursk Oblast, Russia. The target was an estate managed by Putin's administration. As reported by the Defence Express portal at the time, the attacked building allegedly housed an underground command post, where North Korean soldiers might have been present.
The decisions by London and Washington to allow these attacks, which Kyiv had long sought, were made in response to the engagement of North Korean soldiers by the Kremlin in the conflict against Ukraine.
Strengthening Ukraine's position
"The move has also been seen as a way for outgoing President Joe Biden and allies to strengthen Ukraine’s hand in any negotiations with Moscow, which are possible next year as President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to end the war quickly," writes Bloomberg.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking at the G20 summit in Brazil on 20 November, stated that his government "is doubling down on its support for Ukraine" but refused to provide details.
Storm Shadow missiles are precision-guided, air-launched weapons with a range exceeding 150 miles.
The British government does not disclose how many Storm Shadow missiles have been provided to Ukraine during the war. However, it is known that Ukraine has previously used them against Russian forces in the Black Sea. The Ministry of Defence last confirmed the delivery of these missiles in April, when Rishi Sunak was Prime Minister.
