The weapons, which can hit targets over 250km away, will allow strikes deep into Russian-occupied territory inside the Ukraine.
The UK is providing long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles to help Ukraine counter Russian offensives, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said. Wallace told the House of Commons on Thursday that the new weapons will give Ukraine its “best chance” of defending itself against Russian aggression. The UK decision was prompted by Russia’s continuing attacks on Ukrainian civilians, he said. “We simply will not stand by while Russia kills civilians,” Wallace said. “This is a calibrated and proportionate response to Russia’s escalations.” The weapons, which were jointly developed by the UK and France, have a firing range in excess of 250km (155 miles) and are the longest-range missiles yet provided to Ukraine by western allies. The country has been mired in a 15-month war since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion in February 2022.
