Ukraine has escalated its offensive against Russian targets, reportedly using British-French-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike inside Russian territory for the first time. This follows Tuesday’s deployment of U.S.-made ATACMS missiles into Russia, marking a significant expansion of Kyiv’s long-range strike capabilities.
An official confirmed Ukraine’s use of Storm Shadow missiles to Reuters on the condition of anonymity. British media also reported the attack, citing unnamed sources. When questioned at a Wednesday press conference, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov neither confirmed nor denied the use of the missiles but hinted at Ukraine’s readiness to leverage all available tools for defense.
“We are using all the means to defend our country, so we’ll not go into detail,” Umerov said. “But we are just sending that we are capable and able to respond.” He added, “We’ll be defending and giving punches back… with all the means available.”
The UK Ministry of Defense declined to comment, while the French Ministry of Defense has yet to respond to inquiries.
Storm Shadow Missiles: A Game-Changer
The Storm Shadow missiles, supplied by the UK and France, have a range of about 250 kilometers (155 miles). Although slightly shorter in range than the American ATACMS missiles, which can hit targets up to 186 miles away, they are highly precise and powerful enough to penetrate bunkers.
According to the BBC’s diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams, Ukraine has so far confined the use of Storm Shadow missiles to Russia’s Kursk region, an area where Ukrainian troops maintain a presence following counteroffensive operations. Details on the specific target remain unclear, but Adams noted that the missile’s accuracy and power are well-suited for striking fortified structures.
Here is what you need to know
This latest strike follows Ukraine’s Tuesday use of ATACMS missiles to hit an ammunition depot in Russia’s Bryansk region. U.S. defense officials confirmed that Ukraine launched eight missiles, successfully destroying the depot.
Bryansk is located north of the Kursk region, where Ukraine has been holding ground reclaimed in recent counteroffensives.
Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons like Storm Shadow and ATACMS signals a shift in its strategy, enabled by recent decisions from Western allies to loosen restrictions on how these weapons can be deployed. On Sunday, the Biden administration granted Ukraine permission to use U.S.-supplied long-range weapons to strike targets inside Russia, further escalating the conflict.
This latest move raises questions about the potential for further escalation in the conflict and the international community’s role in providing advanced weaponry to Ukraine.
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