Britain Urged to Allow Ukraine to Use Long-Range Storm Shadow Missiles in Russia

British politicians have urged their government to allow Ukraine to use long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike inside Russia, amid growing pressure on Westminster to support Kyiv more fully in its fight against Moscow. The British government has so far declined requests from Ukraine to use the missiles in Russian territory, citing concerns about escalation and the potential for a nuclear response from Russia. However, former defence secretary Grant Shapps and current CIA director Bill Burns have urged a change in policy, with Shapps saying that Ukraine should be allowed to use the missiles to defend itself against Russian aggression.

Key Takeaways:

• Former defence secretary Grant Shapps has urged the UK to allow Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles to strike inside Russia, with or without US backing.
• Shapps said the Russian attack on a military academy and hospital in Poltava, central Ukraine, showed it was "no longer credible" to deny Kyiv use of the weapons where they would be most effective.
• Current CIA director Bill Burns has also urged the US and its allies not to be "intimidated" by President Putin's nuclear threats and hinted at a potential shift in US thinking on long-range weapons.
• Ukraine's President Zelensky has repeatedly signalled his anger at his allies' refusal to change their stance on how donated weapons can be used, saying that the refusal is "wrong".
• The UK has so far only allowed Ukraine to use donated missiles in Russian-occupied Crimea, with a range of around 250km, which is much shorter than the range of Storm Shadow missiles.
• The US has blocked Ukraine's request to use long-range weapons, such as Storm Shadows, in Russian territory, due to concerns about escalation and the potential for a nuclear response from Russia.

Statistics:

• The Storm Shadow missiles have a range of more than 250km, triple that of the weapons Ukraine has used so far.
• Russia has received 200 ballistic missiles from Iran, including the Fath-360 missiles, which can hit targets 70 miles away.
• The UK has announced PS162 million worth of support for Ukraine, which will include 650 multirole missiles with a range of 3.7 miles.
• Ukrainian intelligence estimates that Moscow has received 200 ballistic missiles from Iran.

Sources:

• The Sunday Times
• News article by Harry Yorke and Larisa Brown
• Statement by Grant Shapps writing for The Sunday Times
• Comments by Bill Burns, director of the CIA
• Announcement by John Healey, the defence secretary
• Statement by the Ministry of Defence