The Ukrainian government has been asking for longer range missiles from the West for months – now their wish is being granted. Britain is supplying “Storm Shadow” cruise missiles to Ukraine, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed in the British House of Commons on Thursday.
It is not the first time that the government in London has continued to supply new weapons systems. As early as January 2023, Britain was the first country to decide to send Western-style main battle tanks to Ukraine. Now the next political barrier has been broken.
The modern cruise missiles give Ukraine new tactical possibilities. How will this change the war? The most important questions and answers about the cruise missiles at a glance:
What is the Storm Shadow cruise missile?
According to the European weapons company MBDA, the “Storm Shadow” cruise missile is a long-range missile. It only has a range of 250 kilometers, significantly less than, for example, a continental missile that has a maximum range of 15,000 kilometers. Nevertheless, the missile is one of the most effective and precise guided weapons in the NATO countries’ arsenal.
The cruise missile was originally developed by Britain, France and Italy – for air-to-ground attacks. Other countries have also bought it or plan to buy it. Users include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Greece, and Qatar.
How is the rocket used?
The Storm Shadow missile offers a variety of uses and is designed to penetrate deep into enemy territory and destroy targets with precision. Here are some key applications:
Deep attacks: The cruise missile is launched from fighter jets and has the ability to penetrate to tactical depths. The missile can effectively destroy strategic targets such as bunkers, command centers, enemy defense systems and infrastructure. Their explosive charges can also penetrate the armor of underground facilities.
naval operations: The missile can also be launched from ships or submarines to attack targets on land or at sea. This makes her a versatile weapon that can be used in naval combat. However, Ukraine actually no longer has a navy.
Precision Attacks: Thanks to the sophisticated steering and navigation system, the “Storm Shadow” missile is suitable for precision attacks and, according to the manufacturer, is intended to minimize collateral damage.
Why does Ukraine need Storm Shadow missiles?
The exact purpose can only be speculated at this point. However, it is likely that Ukraine will use the missiles to attack Russian supply routes to the front.
They are one of Russia’s Achilles heels. With the Himars systems from the US, Kiev was able to effectively attack Russian arsenals last year. But Vladimir Putin’s army learned from its own mistakes and moved supply depots and arsenals further away from the front lines.
This is more difficult with the British cruise missiles. The Ukrainian army could use the “Shadow Storm” missiles to attack more distant targets. The Kremlin would then have to move its weapons depots farther from the front lines, again lengthening supply lines. As a result, the Russian military would become less flexible and take longer to respond to Ukrainian attacks.
Ukraine would have more options if it could advance to the Sea of Azov in a counter-offensive. Then Crimea and the Crimean Bridge would also be within range of the missiles, a strategic nightmare for the Kremlin. But effectiveness also depends on how many missiles the West can deliver. The UK government has not yet commented on this.
Why is Ukraine only getting cruise missiles now?
The West has long hesitated to supply weapons that would theoretically allow Ukraine to launch attacks on Russian territory. That would be possible with the «Shadow Storm». However, Ukraine has assured British leaders that they will not attack targets on Russian territory, as t-online has learned from security circles.
In addition, it was only tested at the beginning of this year whether the missile is compatible with Ukrainian fighter jets such as the Sukhoi Su-24. The test was positive, but Kiev also sees the delivery of the cruise missiles as a harbinger of possible support with F-16 fighter jets from the West. This has been discussed in NATO circles for some time.
Meanwhile, the strategic advantage for Ukraine apparently outweighs the risk when it comes to cruise missiles. Ukraine now has more opportunities to hit the Russian army hard and Kiev has always kept agreements about the use of Western weapon systems. In any case, the British missiles should increase the chance that the planned Ukrainian counter-offensive will be a success. But other countries should probably follow suit and deliver cruise missiles as well.
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Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
