Ukraine Launches UK-Made Missiles into Russia for the First Time

The Storm Shadow missile attack comes one day after Ukraine utilized US-supplied long-range missiles to strike within Russia. 

Multiple sources have told the Guardian that Ukraine has fired UK-made Storm Shadow missiles into Russia for the first time since the conflict began.

 

The decision to allow the strikes came in response to the deployment of around 10,000 North Korean troops on Russia's border with Ukraine, which UK and US officials said would be a substantial escalation of the nearly three-year conflict. 

The Guardian claimed earlier this week that the UK would soon sanction Storm Shadow missiles for use in Russia if US President Joe Biden agreed to do the same for comparable American Atacms weaponry.

 

According to videos posted on social media and shared by pro-Russian war bloggers, up to 12 missiles struck a target thought to be a command center in the village of Maryno, marking the first documented use of British weaponry on Russian land during the war. According to Ukrainian media, officers from North Korea and Russia may have used the location. 

There was no official confirmation from the UK, but defence secretary John Healey appeared to hint at developments while speaking to the Commons as rumors of the Kursk strike surfaced.

 

Healey said he spoke with Rustem Umerov, his Ukrainian colleague, on Tuesday. "We've seen over recent weeks significant change in the action and in the rhetoric on Ukraine, and Ukraine's action on the battlefield speaks for itself," added Obama. 

It represents a quick turnaround in the UK-Ukraine relationship, following concerns that Kyiv was disappointed by London's refusal to supply a new batch of Storm Shadow. The UK was stated to be stung by the criticism, and the objections are thought to have contributed to a change of heart.

 

A second component was a shift in policy by the departing Biden administration. The Storm Shadow strikes came a day after Ukraine launched Atacms missiles on targets in the Bryansk region. 

It marks a swift turnaround in the UK-Ukraine relationship, following reports that Kyiv was disappointed by London's rejection to supply a new batch of Storm Shadow. The UK was said to be irritated by the criticism, and the complaints are supposed to have contributed to a change of heart.

 

A second component was a policy shift implemented by the retiring Biden administration. The Storm Shadow strikes occurred a day after Ukraine launched Atacms missiles at targets in the Bryansk region. 

Vladimir Putin has warned that using US and UK-made missiles inside Russia's borders would be comparable to NATO engaging in a direct fight with Moscow, but western politicians have rejected his remarks as mere threats.

 

Western officials have warned that Russia may escalate attacks on Ukraine's key infrastructure or employ other hybrid warfare tactics on targets in Europe and other US allies around the world. British spy chiefs have accused Russia of attempting to "generate mayhem" on UK streets through arson and sabotage efforts, including the concealment of incendiary devices in goods shipped by DHL, one of which exploded in a Birmingham warehouse in July, igniting a small fire. 

A day after Ukraine fired six newly licensed Atacms missiles into an ammo facility in the south-western Bryansk region, Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, vowed Moscow will retaliate "appropriately".

 

Hours earlier, Putin signed a revised nuclear doctrine that reduced the threshold for launching nuclear weapons, despite concerns from Russian MPs that the US action was bringing "world war three" closer.

 

Overnight, the Pentagon stated that it had seen no evidence that Russia intended to use a nuclear bomb in Ukraine, accusing Russian officials of irresponsible rhetoric. 

"We will continue to monitor, but we have no indications that Russia is planning to use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine," said Pentagon spokesman Sabrina Singh. 

Earlier on Wednesday, the US stated that it had temporarily closed its embassy in Kyiv following a warning of a "potential significant air attack," encouraging American citizens to evacuate immediately to a shelter in the case of an air raid.

 

Such warnings are uncommon and likely to be based on specific intelligence, causing a stressful day in Kyiv, where the mayor, Vitali Klitschko, warned the public not to dismiss the air raid warning sent soon before 2 p.m.

 

City people gathered in Kyiv's metro stations and other sites to seek refuge, and officials were concerned, though one member of the administration told the Guardian that they were unaware of any specific threat. 

"We don't know exactly what could happen - it could be another major attack like Sunday, when they fired over 200 missiles and drones," a security officer commented. "The Americans had some signal intelligence and were acting according to their protocol."

 

Matthew Miller, a state department spokeswoman, later informed reporters that the embassy was scheduled to resume normal activities on Thursday.

 

The United States had also reportedly approved the supply of anti-personnel landmines to Ukraine.