The Storm Shadow missile is an air-launched cruise missile primarily utilized by the UK, France, and Italy for precision strikes against high-value infrastructure such as bridges and buildings. It has a long-range capability.
However, it’s important to note that conditions can change rapidly, and there may be developments since my last update. Check reliable news sources or official statements for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
Although Ukraine has been in conflict with Russia since 2014, they will unlikely have access to Storm Shadow missiles. The missile is highly advanced and sophisticated and is typically used only by NATO-affiliated forces.
The U.K. defence secretary Ben Wallace confirmed the deal after CNN reported the agreement on Thursday, calling the donation Ukraine’s “best chance to defend itself against Russia’s continued brutality.”
The Storm Shadow is a type of missile that can launch from the air and be created through a collaboration between the United Kingdom and France. It has stealth capabilities and a firing range of over 250 km or 155 miles. However, it falls short of the 185-mile range of the U.S.-made Surface-to-Surface Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), which Ukraine has been trying to obtain for some time.
Storm Shadow can launch attacks in the Russian-controlled area of eastern Ukraine. A Western official who spoke with CNN reported that the Ukrainian government promised the U.K. to only deploy the missiles within its territory and not aimed towards Russia. The U.K. has been vocal about Crimea being a part of Ukraine’s sovereign territory and considers its annexation by Russia illegal.
Several U.S. military officials have stated that the missile represents a significant advancement in terms of range. It will provide Kyiv with the capability it has sought since the war started. According to CNN, the weapons currently used by Ukraine and provided by the U.S. can only travel about 49 miles.
Recently, Britain, the United States, and other NATO allies provided Ukraine with air-launched missiles as part of their ongoing military aid. Ukraine requested weapons that could target Russian military infrastructure and troop concentrations on the front lines of the war. Those demands have become more urgent as the country prepares to launch a counterattack.
Ukraine’s attack could come from the country’s south and east, where Russia has territory. Kyiv has struck military targets in occupied southern cities such as Melitopol and Berdyansk with increasing frequency in recent weeks in preparation for a possible counterattack.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country still needed “some time” before launching a counter-offensive to allow some of the Western military aid promised to reach the land.
“We can go forward and succeed with [what we have],” Zelensky told European public service broadcasters in an interview published Thursday. “But we will lose many people, which is unacceptable.”
“We still need a little more time, so we must wait,” he explained. Ukraine is still waiting for several supplies, including batches of armoured vehicles, including tanks, according to Zelensky.
In the past, Britain has been at the forefront of providing military aid to Ukraine. They were the first ally to declare their intention to send contemporary Western tanks to Ukraine. In January, they pledged to send 14 Challenge 2 tanks, even before the United States announced its contribution of M-1 Abrams tanks.
According to Mr Wallace, Ukraine has the right to defend itself, and using the Storm Shadow missile will help push back Russian forces within Ukraine’s territory. Mr Wallace did not provide specific details about the missile’s capabilities, but he did mention that it surpasses certain Russian weapons. For example, the Storm Shadow missile has a shorter range than the Russian Kalibr cruise missile, which can travel over 2,000 kilometres.
According to Ukrainian officials, putting pressure on Russian bases in Crimea is essential to their strategy due to the region’s support for military operations in other parts of Ukraine. U.S. officials believe that Ukraine has the required firepower to initiate an attack on Crimea. Military analysts say the reach of the Storm Shadow missile will, at the very least, force Russia to monitor areas it once thought were out of range of Ukraine’s missiles.
It remains unclear whether the Storm Shadow missiles will enable Ukraine to hit targets in southern Crimea, including the port city of Sevastopol, home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The Southern Crimea region is approximately 150 miles south of the conflict frontline.
According to Ben Hodges, a retired lieutenant general who once commanded the U.S. forces in Europe and supported Ukraine’s access to long-range weapons, the Black Sea Fleet is now at risk. He tweeted that this move would help Ukraine make Crimea impossible to conquer by Russian forces.
Earlier this month, the British government released a procurement notice for Ukraine through international funds. The statement said the U.K. invited expressions of interest to buy “long-range strike” rockets or missiles by May 4 and would contact potential suppliers a month later. The notice states, “missiles or rockets with a range of 100-300 km; Land, Sea or Air Launch. Payload 20-490kg.”
Despite receiving billions of dollars worth of equipment, Ukraine still requests more long-range missiles, such as ATACMS, to defeat the Russian military. U.S. officials have assured Ukraine their continued support for as long as it takes.
However, the United States has been wary of supplying Ukraine with weapons that could help them launch attacks on Russian territory over the past year. In August, Colin Kahl, the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, informed reporters that the United States had evaluated Ukraine’s situation and determined that they do not need ATACMS targeting services specifically applicable to the ongoing conflict.
The Storm Shadow missile is produced by MBDA Missile Systems and is intended as a “deep strike weapon” that can function in any weather and at any time of day. The missile has an advanced navigation system that ensures its accuracy.
