Britain Reportedly Approves Ukraine's Use Of Storm Shadow Missiles

Ukrainian Military/ILLUSTRATION/PHOTO via Instagram @ukraine_defence

JAKARTA - Britain has reportedly agreed to allow Ukraine to use Britain's Storm Shadow missile to carry out long-range attacks on Russian territory.

Citing unnamed British officials, the report shows significant changes in the policy were made behind closed doors, although it is expected that there will be no official announcements to the public.

This decision comes amid ongoing discussions between Kiev and its Western allies over restrictions imposed on the use of long-range weapons.

Ukraine has long stated that the restrictions limit its ability to defend itself and fight against Russian forces.

However, Washington is concerned about letting Ukraine target deep inside Russia for fear of further conflict.

During a joint press conference in Kiev on Wednesday (11/9), US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Minister David Lemmy confirmed that Russia bears responsibility for the escalation of war.

Blinken, who avoided directly discussing changes to US policies regarding long-range attacks, stated that the US had adapted its strategy from day one and remained open to doing so.

However, he did not comment on Ukraine's potential use of the Storm Shadow missile.

The timing selection of Blinken and Lemmy's visit to Kiev, after Washington confirmed that Iran had delivered ballistic missiles to Russia, adds to the significance of the meeting.

Blinken described the supply of new weapons to Moscow providing Russia with additional capabilities and flexibility in a continuing war against Ukraine.

While there is no explicit confirmation from Blinken about changes to US policies regarding long-range attacks, reports from The Guardian note that such decisions may have been made secretly.

Meanwhile, British officials believe that the visit of top US and UK diplomats to Kiev is unlikely without a certain agreement on the expansion of Ukraine's capabilities with the Storm Shadow missile.