Ukraine not allowed to use British missiles in Kursk – Telegraph
The British government has refused to allow Ukraine to use long-range Storm Shadow missiles to support its incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region despite Kiev’s pleas, The Telegraph reported on Monday.
A source in London told the paper that “there has been no change” in the giovernment's stance on the use of the missiles, which have a range of up to 550km. Britain currently allows Ukraine to use Storm Shandows to strike Crimea and other areas claimed by Kiev, but not internationally recognized Russian territory, fearing it could escalate the conflict.
According to The Telegraph, the decision on how Ukraine can use the missiles is not just up to London, as they are produced in close cooperation with France, which also has a say in the matter. French President Emmanuel Macron has said that Ukraine can strike sites deep into Russia, but only sites from which Russia launches its own attacks.
A spokesman for Downing Street stated that the UK has made it “clear that equipment provided by the UK is intended for the defense of Ukraine.”
The report came after Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky claimed in July that he had received Britain’s permission to attack internationally recognized Russian territory with Storm Shadows. However, a Telegraph source said at the time that the situation was “more nuanced” and that Kiev’s other partners would also have sign off on the policy shift. “It’s not going to happen,” the source stressed, with regard to whether Ukraine can fire Storm Shadow missiles deep into Russia.
Last month, however, UK Defense Secretary John Healey said: “We’re providing weapons to Ukraine for their defense… And that does not preclude them hitting targets in Russia.” He added that Kiev must do so “within the parameters and the bounds of international humanitarian law.”
Russia has previously accused Ukraine of using Storm Shadow missiles to target critical infrastructure, resulting in civilian deaths.
While Ukraine has reportedly been barred from firing UK-made missiles deep into Russia, in May, the US granted permission to use American-made long-range weapons to strike Russian territory. The shift in policy came in response to Moscow’s advance in Ukraine’s Kharkov Region – which sought to protect civilians from Kiev’s recurring artillery strikes. Media reports, however, suggested that the range of the Ukrainian strikes was limited to around 100km, leaving some high-priority targets beyond Kiev’s reach.
Last week, Ukraine launched an attack on Kursk Region, which became the largest assault on a Russian border region since the start of the conflict. Moscow has accused Kiev of indiscriminately targeting civilians. The Russian Defense Ministry has said that the advance has been halted, estimating Kiev’s losses at around 1,600 troops and 200 armored vehicles.
