Ukraine fires UK Storm Shadow cruise missiles into Russia

As Ukraine uses long range missiles for a second time in two days, the US embassy in Kyiv pauses operations, warning of an ‘imminent’ major Russian air attack.

Ukraine has dropped at least 10 Storm Shadow missiles onto Russian territory. Picture: X.

Ukraine has sent British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles into Russia for the first time,

as the US embassy in Kyiv paused operations, warning of an imminent “significant air attack.”

As the Greek and Italian embassies also shut, the US embassy said it had “received specific information” about an attack, according to the New York Times. Ukraine authorities urged people in Kyiv to seek shelter.

The Storm Shadow attack came just a day after Ukraine deployed United States-supplied long range missiles Atacms.

Fragments of the British missiles were found by residents of Marino in Kursk after a missile attack on Wednesday.

So much for the claims made by Russian Sources, that it was only Missile Fragments that struck the Kursk Region, with all of the “Storm Shadows” being Intercepted. https://t.co/QyAN7debAo

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) November 20, 2024

Russian media reported up to 12 missiles were involved in the Kursk attack, but some could have been decoys to thwart air defence systems. The Storm Shadows have twin warheads to be able to blast underground targets.

In the House of Commons British defence minister John Healey said he was unable to go into operational details.

“Ukraine’s action on the battlefield speaks for itself” he said, adding he had spoken to Ukrainian officials on Tuesday to provide a robust response to recent escalation of Russia.

“At this point I’m not able to get into any further operational details,” Mr Healey said.

The British had supplied Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles last year, but the conditions of their use up until now meant they could only be used within Ukraine’s borders. However US president Joe Biden agreed last week that Ukraine could use US-made long range missiles to fire deep inside Russian territory: the first of which was deployed into Bryansk on Tuesday, the 1000th day of the war.

A Storm Shadow/SCALP, a conventionally armed long-range deep strike weapon. Picture: Getty Images.

In response Russian president Vladimir Putin expanded and lowered the conditions on which he could fire nuclear weapons at Ukraine and western allies.

Mr Putin has consistently argued that the use of western supplied weaponry against Russia would mean the countries were a direct participant in the war and he has threatened the use of nuclear attacks.

The Storm Shadow missile strike came 36 hours after Ukraine fired US-made Atacms into Russia.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin also said yesterday the US would provide Ukraine with antipersonnel mines, another measure which American officials had previously resisted.

There were suggestions by Ukrainian publication Defence Express that the attack occurred near an historic building of the Baryatynsky estate. This building is a health facility under the control of Putin and is rumoured to be an underground command post.

Defence Express said: “Given the proximity of the sanatorium, it is very likely that it was used by the command of a group of Russian troops in the Kursk region. And taking into account the fact that the troops of the DPRK are also operating there, it is not exclusive that North Korean generals could also be there.”