In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict, Ukraine has launched British-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles at military targets within Russia, marking the first use of these advanced weapons in the war. This development follows a series of moves by both the United States and the United Kingdom to increase military support to Ukraine, as the war approaches its 1,000th day.
The UK government, having approved the use of Storm Shadow missiles, responded to Russia’s recent deployment of North Korean troops to the frontlines—a move that London considers a substantial escalation. This approval also coincides with a larger international debate over the provision of long-range missile systems to Ukraine.
A Western official, who chose to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed that Ukraine had fired the missiles at military targets in Russia, signaling a significant shift in the nature of the conflict. This move follows a similar decision by the United States, which recently gave Ukraine the green light to fire long-range ATACMS missiles at Russian targets, further intensifying the military support coming from Western allies.
The use of the Storm Shadow missiles was confirmed after debris from the missiles was discovered in the Kursk region of Russia, located to the north of Ukraine. Additionally, two missiles were reportedly intercepted over Yeysk, a Black Sea port in Russia’s Krasnodar region. This information, however, has not been independently verified.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has long advocated for the use of long-range missiles to target critical Russian infrastructure in a bid to weaken Moscow’s war effort. The new phase of the conflict, marked by the increased use of long-range weaponry, represents a shift in how the war is being fought as both sides continue to escalate their military operations.
The issue of missile supply and usage dominated discussions at the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Brazil, where US President Joe Biden approved Ukraine’s use of ATACMS. However, British Labour leader Keir Starmer did not publicly support the decision to use Storm Shadow missiles, despite having previously been seen as an advocate for increased military support to Ukraine.
This missile launch comes a day after Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported that Ukraine had used Western-supplied ATACMS for the first time to strike a military facility inside Russian territory. The growing deployment of long-range missiles highlights the increasingly complex and dangerous nature of the war, as both Ukraine and Russia seek to gain a decisive military advantage.
As tensions continue to rise, the world watches closely to see how the escalation will impact the broader geopolitical situation, including international sanctions and military support, as well as the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Sources By Agencies
