Ukraine fires UK-made Storm Shadow missiles at Russia for first time

For the first time, Ukraine has launched Storm Shadow missiles, provided by the UK, at locations within Russia, according to information obtained by the BBC.

The country affected by war was earlier limited to utilizing long-range missiles only within its territory.

News of the attacks follows Ukraine receiving approval from Washington to launch US-provided missiles into Russian territory.

The government has chosen not to provide any comments on the reports due to operational concerns; however, officials have confirmed that Defence Secretary John Healey had a conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart on Tuesday evening.

Ministers are expected to tread carefully in their response to the reports, worried about how Russia might react. They also want to make sure that this action doesn’t come across as being primarily driven by the UK.

Earlier in the Commons, Healey remarked, "The efforts of Ukraine in the battlefield clearly demonstrate their capabilities."

Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has refrained from confirming whether his country has deployed Storm Shadow missiles inside Russian territory, but emphasized that they are utilizing all available resources to protect their nation.

Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the US State Department, refrained from discussing the deployment of the missile supplied by the UK or whether the US is offering navigational support for its use.

In response to a question from the BBC about whether Ukraine was coordinating with or updating the US on the usage of missiles supplied by the UK, Mr. Miller stated that he wouldn't discuss the use of weapons from other nations in a public forum.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently urged Ukraine's western partners to approve the deployment of long-range missiles aimed at targets within Russia, arguing that this is the only effective means to achieve a resolution to the conflict.

Storm Shadow is viewed as the perfect tool for breaching fortified bunkers and ammunition depots, like those utilized by Russia in its conflict with Ukraine.

The United States and the United Kingdom had earlier withheld their approval, with some speculating that this was due to a desire to avoid further escalating the conflict.

However, over the weekend, U.S. President Joe Biden approved Ukraine's use of the Army Tactical Missile System (Atacms) provided by the U.S. to target Russian forces.

On Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine responded to reports that had been shared by US officials. He stated, "This kind of information shouldn’t be disclosed; the missiles themselves convey the message."

On Tuesday, Ukraine employed the Atacms missile to strike the Bryansk region, which is adjacent to its border.

The United States has given the go-ahead to send landmines to Ukraine, aiming to impede the advance of Russian forces.

During his speech at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, UK Prime Minister Sir Starmer stated that the UK will make sure Ukraine receives the necessary support for as long as it is required.

Storm Shadow is a cruise missile developed in collaboration between the UK and France, with a top range of about 250 kilometers (155 miles). In France, it is known as Scalp.

It is released from an aircraft and travels nearly at the speed of sound, flying closely along the ground. Finally, it descends and explodes its powerful warhead.

BBC Verify shared images on Telegram that allegedly display pieces of a Storm Shadow missile in Kursk, prompting analysis from weapons specialists.

Amael Kotlarski, the head of the Weapons Team at Janes, stated: "We can verify that the large rectangular fragment, which has a central hole, corresponds to a component of the mounting interface for the Storm Shadow / SCALP EG missile."

Another specialist was unable to form a conclusion based on the pictures.

Further contributions were made by Rebecca Hartmann from Washington and Rupert Carey from London.