Ukraine fires British Storm Shadows at targets on Russian territory

Ukraine fired Storm Shadows, long-range air-to-ground cruise missiles supported by Britain, into Russian territory for the first time on Wednesday, reported Bloomberg News. It only came one day after Ukraine first attacked Bryansk Oblast in Russia with long-range ground-to-ground U.S. ATACMS missiles. Experts say that Ukraine will only increase attacks on Russian territory by deploying Western missiles.

An anonymous government source from a Western country told Bloomberg News that Britain gave a yes to the use of Storm Shadow missiles in response to Pyongyang’s deployment of troops to Russia,” explaining that the British government considers North Korean troops at the forefronts a development that expands war.

The Franco-British Storm Shadow, a cruise missile fired from a military aircraft at targets on land, has been assessed as the best weapon system available on Russian territory along with ATACMS. However, like the United States, Britain has been concerned about the escalation and expansion of war, thus limiting the use of Storm Shadows to Ukrainian territory.

Bloomberg News wrote that President-elect Donald Trump pledged to bring a quick end to the ongoing war when he returns to the White House next year. The publication analyzed that Western allies have ended up under greater pressure to increase aid to Ukraine before peace negotiations.


Eun-A Cho achim@donga.com