“Britain sends long-range missiles to Ukraine despite Russian opposition”

Russia and Ukraine

Britain announced officially providing Ukraine with long-range “storm shadow” missiles, in a move that could change the course of the war.

Yesterday, Thursday, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace officially confirmed that his country had sent these missiles.

“The Prime Minister (Rishi Sunak) and I have taken the decision to deliver long-range weapons. I can confirm today that Britain is delivering Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine,” Wallace said in a statement on Ukraine in the British House of Commons.

For its part, CNN reported earlier Thursday that Britain had transferred long-range missiles to Ukraine.

She added that London had received assurances from Kiev that it would not be used against targets in Russian territory.

In turn, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia has a very negative position on supplying long-range missiles to Kiev.

“This will require an adequate response from our army, which, of course, will take appropriate military decisions,” he added.

In a purchase notice published on May 2 by the British-led International Fund for Ukraine, a group of Nordic countries that has set up a mechanism to send weapons to the battlefield, the UK Ministry of Defense asked for “expressions of interest” in providing long-range missiles of up to 300 kilometers or approximately 200 km. miles, according to the American “Washington Post”.

Storm shadow missiles (archive – Reuters)

Long range missiles

Ukraine has long pleaded with Western countries for longer-range missiles, arguing that such weapons could change the course of the war by allowing its forces to target Russian command centers, supply lines, ammunition and fuel depots deep in Crimea and Russian-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine.

And as Kiev prepares to launch a major counterattack as soon as in the coming weeks, the ability to strike far behind Russia’s front lines would help pave the way for a ground offensive with tanks and infantry.

HIMARS missiles

The United States has provided multiple launch precision missile systems, including the Highly Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, but only with munitions limited to a range of about 50 miles.

Himaris also has the ability to launch the Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, a long-range missile munition, of 300 km. But the Biden administration has been serious about rejecting Ukrainian pleas with Pentagon officials over concerns about escalation of the conflict and citing supply shortages in US arsenals.

Read also