British Prime Minister: Ukraine can attack Russia with British Storm Shadow missiles

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Ukraine had the authority to use Storm Shadow missiles supplied by Britain against military targets on Russian territory.

This stance reinforces the previous British government’s policy on the use of long-range weapons in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

During his trip to the NATO summit in Washington, Starmer told Bloomberg journalists that it was “Ukraine must decide for itself how it wants to deploy (the missiles) for these defensive purposes.”

He stressed that their use must be in accordance with international humanitarian law and described the weapons as intended “for defensive purposes”.

Storm Shadow missiles, known for their precise guidance and range of over 250 kilometers, are a point of contention in international discussions about military aid to Ukraine. While some European countries, including Britain, have supported Ukraine’s position on attacks on military targets in Russia, the United States maintains restrictions on Kiev’s use of its weapons to prevent escalation with Moscow.

With these comments, Starmer is committing his new government to this policy for the first time since his victory in the British general election. His stance is similar to that of his predecessor Rishi Sunak, whose government had suggested that Ukraine could use Storm Shadows to launch attacks inside Russia, without saying so explicitly.

Starmer described the recent Russian attack on a Ukrainian hospital as an “absolutely shocking, horrific attack” that provides “a very important, albeit tragic, backdrop to this summit.”

The Prime Minister also delivered a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying: “This NATO summit should be understood as a clear and shared determination by NATO Allies and other states present to stand with Ukraine and confront Russian aggression.”

According to Jamie Shea, a former NATO official and current associate fellow at Chatham House, Starmer’s statement “has given President Zelensky a boost.” Shea told Bloomberg that while the Ukrainians need the ability to attack significant Russian military targets, NATO leaders would likely draw a red line on attacks on Russian civilian targets.

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