According to the British newspaper of record, the Ukrainian military has struck a target inside Russia for the first time with a British-made Storm Shadow missile. times of london.
British government official Confirmed to times Ukraine's military said it had deployed Storm Shadow missiles with a range of about 250 kilometers (155 miles) to attack Russia's Kursk region, where Kiev launched a surprise invasion in the summer.
The attack was first reported by Russia's Telegram channel, which shared an image purporting to show missile fragments imprinted with the name “Storm Shadow.”
Britain's use of long-range missiles against targets inside Russia comes after months of military strikes, when lame-duck U.S. President Joe Biden launched a similar attack over the weekend with a U.S. military tactical missile system (with a range of 190 miles (300 kilometers)). This was done in response to reports that Japan had approved the use of ATACMS) missiles. Rejected due to concerns about escalating conflict.
Although the White House has not yet officially confirmed the outgoing president's reported move, Russia announced on Tuesday that ATACMS missiles were sent to attack a Russian military logistics center near Karachev, about 110 miles from the border with Ukraine. It was claimed to have been used by Ukraine.
President Vladimir Putin, the Russian strongman who controls the world's largest nuclear arsenal, updated Russia's nuclear doctrine this week, warning that “any attack” by a nuclear-armed state that threatens Russia's “sovereignty” or “enemy aircraft, missiles, The Kremlin cited “drones targeting Russian territory” as justification for its nuclear response.
Therefore, Ukraine's reported use of the US-made ATACMS and the nuclear-armed UK Storm Shadow could be subject to the updated doctrine.
The US may also have been involved in the Storm Shadow attack reported on Wednesday. times of london It is reported that the US government is believed to be providing navigational support for such a missile attack.
Meanwhile, the U.S. embassy in Kiev was closed on Wednesday following reports of a concerning attack by Russia. However, Ukraine later claimed that such concerns were unfounded and that this was nothing more than a psychological warfare operation by Moscow.
An apparent shift in policy on long-range ballistic missiles by the outgoing Biden administration with just two months left in office has been widely questioned, with many saying the move was a sign that the president-elect would strike a peace deal. Some have suggested it may be intended to thwart President Donald Trump's peace efforts. The war is coming to an end.
In addition to potentially facing opposition at home, the next president is also likely to face resistance from Europe, with leaders in London, Paris and Warsaw attempting to negotiate peace by continuing to finance the war. They are reportedly trying to “thwart” President Trump's efforts. If the US gains support under the Trump administration.
But the UK, Germany and France all face budget problems due to domestic austerity measures, and it is unclear how each country will try to bridge the aid gap.
