According to a report by the Guardian on Sept. 11, the U.K. has made a private decision to allow Ukraine to use British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles for long-range strikes into Russia. This decision comes after Kyiv has long argued that restrictions on the use of long-range weapons are hindering their war efforts, while the U.S. has expressed concerns that such actions could escalate the situation.
During a joint press conference in Kyiv on Sept. 11, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy placed the blame for the escalation of the war on Russia. This visit to Kyiv came a day after the U.S. confirmed that Iran had delivered ballistic missiles to Russia, giving them “additional capability and flexibility” in the conflict.
When asked about a potential change in the U.S.’s policy on long-range strikes, which President Joe Biden has reportedly been considering, Blinken responded cautiously, stating that the U.S. has been willing to adapt its strategy since the beginning. He did not specifically mention a change in policy regarding Storm Shadow missiles, and it is possible that such a decision could be made behind closed doors or by the U.K. unilaterally.
However, sources from the Guardian have stated that Blinken and Lammy’s visit to Kyiv would not have taken place without a change in policy regarding the use of Storm Shadow missiles. It is not expected that there will be an explicit announcement about this change while they are in Kyiv.
According to reports, Ukraine has already used Storm Shadow missiles, which have a range of up to 250 kilometers (150 miles), to target Russian military sites in Crimea, a Ukrainian territory that was illegally annexed by Russia. The Telegraph reported in August, citing unnamed sources, that the U.K. was privately in favor of allowing Ukraine to use these missiles in strikes on Russia, but was hesitant to publicly push for this change due to potential backlash from the U.S.
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