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UK clarifies stance on Storm Shadow missiles, denies permission for use in Russia

The UK clarifies its policy on Storm Shadow missiles, denying permission for its use inside Russia. Zelenskyy backtracks on an earlier statement suggesting otherwise.
telegraph formal request from uk ukraine missile use white house says ukrainian su-24 bomber carrying british-supplied storm shadow screenshot military's video ukrainian-su-24-carrying-uk-storm-shadow-missile
Ukrainian Su-24 bomber carrying a British-supplied Storm Shadow missile. Screenshot from the Ukrainian military’s video.
UK clarifies stance on Storm Shadow missiles, denies permission for use in Russia

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.

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.

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