Italy mulls 'symbolic' Storm Shadow missiles package to Ukraine
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Italy plans to include just a small number of Storm Shadow missiles in the eighth aid package, with their range sufficient to cover Crimea.
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The Storm Shadow cruise missile is on display during the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, north of Paris, France, Monday, June 19, 2023 (AP Photo/Lewis Joly, File)
Italy is considering providing Ukraine with a limited quantity of long-range Storm Shadow missiles, possibly in a symbolic gesture, as it wants to avoid the salience of military supplies by the United States, the UK, France, and Germany, according to a report in the Italian newspaper la Repubblica on Friday.
During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the European Political Community summit in Granada on Thursday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni affirmed that Italy's eighth military aid package for Ukraine would be finalized by year-end, as reported by the newspaper.
The report stated that Italy plans to include just a small number of Storm Shadow missiles in the eighth aid package, with their range sufficient to cover Crimea. This decision is influenced by Italy's possession of a substantial inventory of 200 such missiles in its own air force.
According to the newspaper, not only the Storm Shadow missiles but also the other items in Italy's eighth aid package, including a limited supply of Aster 30 rockets for the Samp-T launch system and maintenance spare parts, are expected to fall short of Ukraine's requirements and expectations.
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So far, Italy has authorized seven military aid packages for Ukraine. In January, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani mentioned that the five defense aid packages already delivered to Ukraine had an estimated value of approximately 1 billion euros ($1.06 billion).
Russia has been cautioning nations providing weaponry to Ukraine, asserting that it considers military shipments as valid targets. Additionally, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has asserted that NATO allies' provision of arms and training to Ukrainians is akin to direct engagement in the conflict.
Since the start of the Ukraine conflict, Italy has been experiencing some serious economic challenges, including an incease in oil prices, disruptions in supply chains and weakened economic growth.
And just like other Ukraine allies, Italy also experienced a shortage in military supplies as a result of providing continuous military aid to Ukraine.
On May 6, a source in the Italian Defense Ministry admitted to reporters that Italian military stockpiles were already depleted and that with two-thirds of Italian manufacturing factories closing during the previous decade, it would take three years to complete existing orders for artillery ammunition and six years to replenish missile stocks.
A poll conducted in January this year revealed that the majority of Italians are against Ukraine being supplied with modern Western-made weapons.
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