on July 13, 2024, 2:32 pm
UK hasn’t allowed Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles inside Russia, MoD clarifies
Zelensky appears to distance himself from earlier comments after source says no permission has been granted
By
Tony Diver
, US EDITOR ;
Danielle Sheridan
, DEFENCE EDITOR ;
Daniel Martin
, IN WASHINGTON and
Joe Barnes
11 July 2024 • 4:06pm
Britain has been forced to clarify it has not given permission for Ukraine to use Storm Shadows to strike inside Russia in an awkward diplomatic moment for Sir Keir Starmer.
Downing Street said on Thursday, government policy “had not changed” regarding the deployment of the long-range missiles, despite comments from the Prime Minister that suggested he was loosening restrictions on how the missiles are used.
The British Government has allowed Kyiv to fire the missiles against targets in Crimea and mainland Ukraine since they were delivered last year, but has banned the country from using them to hit targets inside Russia.
Officials are concerned such a move would escalate the war, and could draw the UK into a conflict with Russia.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president – who has been meeting world leaders at Nato’s 75th anniversary in Washington – announced on Wednesday evening that he had been granted permission to use strategic cruise missiles in Russia.
Posting on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Zelensky shared a photograph of himself and Sir Keir, with the caption: “This morning, I learnt about the permission to use Storm Shadow missiles against military targets in Russian territory. Today, we had the opportunity to discuss the practical implementation of this decision.”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/07/11/starmer-ukraine-british-storm-shadow-missiles-russia/
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