The UK is discussing the transfer of Harpoon anti-ship missiles or Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine.

The Times reports that sources in the Ukrainian Defence Ministry confirmed that Kyiv is ready to use the missiles to strike annexed Crimea.

Harpoon missiles cost about £1.2 million each and have a maximum range of 240 kilometres. The Storm Shadow missiles cost about £2.2 million and can hit targets up to 560 kilometres away, although modified versions for export have a much shorter range.

Negotiations are currently underway to decide how many British long-range missiles can be sent, despite previous fears that giving Ukraine the ability to launch cross-border strikes against Russia could lead to an escalation of the conflict, the agency notes.

Harpoon anti-ship missiles have previously been provided to Ukraine by Denmark, and they can be adapted to be launched from trucks, although they will be less accurate when attacking ground targets. The Storm Shadow missiles can also be launched from the ground, but it is more likely that they will be mounted on Ukrainian aircraft.

On 8 February, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed that London is ready to consider providing Ukraine with fighter jets, and the decision to train pilots is actually the first step towards this.