The UK hints that the US approves Ukraine's use of long-range Storm Shadow missiles – The Times

UK officials have stated that the United States has granted Ukraine permission to use Storm Shadow missiles for strikes on Russia. The "turning point" came when Russia deployed soldiers from North Korea to fight in the war.

As reported by The Times, a senior government source privately stated that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer wants to grant Ukraine the freedom to use weapons for self-defence at its discretion. The UK has reportedly been pressing the United States on this issue for several months.

Initially, the US withheld approval for Ukraine to use its technology in Storm Shadow missiles for strikes on Russia, citing concerns over potential escalation of the conflict.

A source in the Foreign Ministry said the "turning point" came when Russia deployed North Korean soldiers, which was seen as a "major escalation".

Now, US approval for the use of Storm Shadow missiles is expected, especially given that Ukraine has already used American long-range missiles in strikes against Russia.

The Storm Shadow/SCALP is a Franco-British long-range air-to-surface missile, designed to strike stationary, well-protected targets (such as bunkers) covered by air defence systems. It can be deployed at any time of day and in all weather conditions. The missile’s warhead weighs 450 kg. Storm Shadow missiles are compatible with Ukrainian Soviet-era jet aircraft.

Depending on the variant, SCALP/Storm Shadow missiles have a range between 270 and 560 km.

On Tuesday morning, Keir Starmer began to soften his stance, hinting that it was only a matter of time before Ukraine could use Storm Shadow missiles to strike Russian territory. 

"We must ensure Ukraine has what it needs for as long as it needs to win this war. [But] I’m not going to go into operational matters, because there’s only one winner if I do that, and that is Putin," Starmer said.

Senior government sources suggested that Starmer's change in tone was deliberate, implying that the previous US objections to the use of Storm Shadow missiles had now been lifted.

Earlier, Josep Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, confirmed that the US had authorised Ukraine to strike up to 300 kilometres deep into Russian territory.

Meanwhile, the US State Department declined to comment on reports suggesting that Ukraine had been granted permission to use ATACMS missiles for strikes on Russian territory.