Ukraine launches UK cruise missiles into Russia
KYIV — Ukraine fired a volley of British Storm Shadow cruise missiles into Russia on Wednesday, the latest new Western weapon it has been permitted to use on Russian targets a day after it fired US ATACMS missiles.
The strikes were widely reported by Russian war correspondents on Telegram and confirmed by an official on condition of anonymity. A spokesperson for Ukraine’s General Staff said he had no information.
Moscow has said the use of Western weapons to strike Russian territory far from the border would be a major escalation in the conflict.
Kyiv says it needs the capability to defend itself by hitting Russian rear bases used to support Moscow’s invasion, which entered its 1,000th day this week.
Accounts of Russian war correspondents on Telegram posted video they said included the sound of the missiles striking Kursk region, which borders northeastern Ukraine.
At least 14 huge explosions could be heard, most of them preceded by the sharp whistle of what sounded like an incoming missile. The video, shot in a residential area, showed black smoke rising in the distance.
12 Storm Shadows
The pro-Russian Two Majors channel on Telegram said Ukraine fired up to 12 Storm Shadows into the Kursk region and carried pictures of missile pieces with the name Storm Shadow clearly visible.
Britain had previously allowed Ukraine to use Storm Shadows, which have a range in excess of 250 km, within Ukrainian territory.
The Kyiv government has been pressing Western partners for permission to use such weapons to strike targets deep inside Russia.
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