The United Kingdom has clarified that it has not granted permission for Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles inside Russian territory, contradicting earlier statements. This clarification has created an awkward diplomatic moment for Sir Keir Starmer, as reported by The Telegraph.
Downing Street stated on 12 July that the government’s policy “had not changed” regarding the deployment of the long-range missiles. The British Government has allowed Kyiv to fire the missiles against targets in Crimea and mainland Ukraine since their delivery last year but has banned their use against targets inside Russia due to concerns about escalating the war.
Zelenskyy had initially announced on social media that he had received permission to use strategic cruise missiles in Russia.
I held my first meeting with the new UK Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer.
I thanked Prime Minister Starmer for all the UK’s military and financial assistance provided to our country. This morning, I learned about the permission to use Storm Shadow missiles against military targets… pic.twitter.com/zEHHpLh105
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 10, 2024
Earlier that day, PM Starmer told Bloomberg in Washington that it was “for Ukraine to decide how to deploy [the missiles] for those defensive purposes.”
However, sources later confirmed that the missile has not been used this year and that Zelenskyy would need to “seek assurances elsewhere” before Ukraine could fire the cruise missiles into Russian territory, The Telegraph says.
A senior UK defense source described the situation as “more nuanced” than Zelenskyy had suggested, stating that permission to launch the strategic missile into Russia would require approval from three countries, including the United Kingdom. The source added that it’s “not going to happen” when asked if Ukraine will fire Storm Shadow into Russia.
At the NATO summit, Keir Starmer reaffirmed Britain’s support for Ukraine, pledging £3 billion ($3.88 billion) per year and promising to speed up the delivery of military aid. He also announced plans to boost British defense spending to 2.5 percent of GDP.
Zelenskyy later appeared to recognize that full permission for cross-border strikes had not been granted, stating at a NATO press conference that while they received “very good messages from the UK leader,” no decision had been made yet.
ATACMS, SCALPs, and Storm Shadows would be even more effective if we could hit Russian military airfields from which planes carrying the glided bombs take off. Russia is launching about 3,500 such bombs every month.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 11, 2024
Related:
- UK Prime Minister: Ukraine can use British Storm Shadow missiles to strike Russia
- BBC: Ukraine can now target military airfields in Russia with Storm Shadow cruise missiles
- Italy supplies Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles, UK Defense Secretary discloses
- German FM says Taurus missile “ring exchange” with UK is “an option,” a move to free up more Storm Shadows for Ukraine
