UK's covert missile aid bolsters Ukraine ahead of talks
The government of the United Kingdom has supplied Ukraine with dozens of Storm Shadow cruise missiles, according to information from people familiar with the matter. Bloomberg reports this as the first delivery of this kind during Prime Minister Keir Starmer's tenure, who has pledged to continue supporting Ukraine.
The deliveries, which were not publicly announced, occurred a few weeks ago and were commissioned after Ukraine began depleting its stocks of these long-range missiles, sources told Bloomberg.
British missile salvo on Kursk Oblast
The missiles were sent before the recent decision by the USA and the UK to allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons against targets on Russian territory. The sources declined to provide the exact delivery date or the precise number of missiles, citing the need for operational security.
"We do not comment on operational detail, to do so would only benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin," replied the Ministry of Defence to questions, adding that the UK’s support for Ukraine is "ironclad".
Ukrainian use of Storm Shadow
Ukrainian forces used British Storm Shadow missiles against targets in Russia for the first time last week, a day after using American Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) against military facilities in western Bryansk Oblast.
A missile salvo was fired at the village of Maryino in the Kursk Oblast, Russia. The target was an estate managed by Putin's administration. As reported by the Defence Express portal, in the attacked building, there is an underground command post where North Korean soldiers might have been present.
The decisions by London and Washington to allow these attacks, which Kyiv had long sought, were made in response to the engagement of North Korean soldiers by the Kremlin in the fights against Ukraine.
Strengthening Ukraine's position
"The move has also been seen as a way for outgoing President Joe Biden and allies to strengthen Ukraine’s hand in any negotiations with Moscow, which are possible next year as President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to end the war quickly," writes Bloomberg.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking at the G20 summit in Brazil on 20 November, stated that his government "is doubling down its support for Ukraine" but refused to provide details.
Storm Shadows are precision-guided, air-launched missiles with a range exceeding 240 kilometres.
The British government does not disclose how many Storm Shadow missiles have been provided to Ukraine during the war. However, it is known that Ukraine previously used them against Russian forces in the Black Sea. The Ministry of Defence last confirmed the delivery of these missiles in April when Rishi Sunak was Prime Minister.
