UK to provide long-range missiles to Ukraine

LONDON

The UK confirmed Thursday that it would be providing long-range missiles to Ukraine.

Storm Shadow missiles will be supplied to Ukraine's military, meeting one of Kyiv's longtime requests, Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told the members of parliament in the House of Commons.

"Today I can confirm that the UK is donating Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine. Storm Shadow is a long-range, conventional-only, precision strike capability," he said.

"It complements the long-range systems already gifted, including HIMARS and Harpoon missiles, as well as Ukraine’s own Neptune cruise missiles and longer-range munitions already gifted," he said.

Wallace said the provision of these weapon systems offers Ukraine the greatest opportunity to protect themselves from "Russia’s continued brutality especially the deliberate targeting of Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, which is against international law."

Ukraine has the right to safeguard itself from such actions, he added.

The long-range, air-launched cruise missiles can travel up to 350 miles and can carry a warhead of up to 450 kilograms (992 pounds). They were developed by British Aerospace and a French company, according to the Royal Air Force.

Moscow has warned that the move will warrant an "appropriate response" from the Russian military.

Other countries, including the US, have been hesitant to provide such arms, fearing that they may lead to an escalation in the conflict if used on targets in Russia.