UK to send long-range missiles to Ukraine - reports

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
9 May 2023 17:30

US intelligence confirmed that the UK was planning to send Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine, according to the leaked Pentagon documents.

An RAF Typhoon FGR4 departs with 2 Storm Shadows missiles, 2021 (Image credit: UK MoD)

After the US persistently declined Kiev's demands for long-range missiles, the UK seems to be presenting itself as Kiev's alternative source for long range-missiles, the Washington Post reported citing sources in the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU) procurement notice.

Back in early May, the UK's Defense Ministry asked for "expressions of interest" in providing strike capabilities with a range of up to 300 kilometers, the Washington Post report said.

Nothing is final in regards to the missiles, the newspaper reported citing a UK official. Neither the type of missiles nor the quantity nor the timing were specified.

However, the requested specifications and capabilities for the long-range missiles correspond to that of the UK’s air-launched Storm Shadow cruise missiles.

The report added, citing recently leaked Pentagon documents, US intelligence confirmed that the UK was planning to send Storm Shadow missiles to Kiev.

Back in March, an investigation by Intelligence Online revealed that a number of Western defense industry client countries are indirectly fueling Ukraine with weapons: specifically Crotale, Mistral, and Milan missiles.

According to information gathered in relevant countries, a number of officially neutral governments have dipped into their military stocks to make up for the shortfall caused by dwindling stocks of Western munitions.

Even though India is dedicated to its non-aligned status, the government agreed to use its stocks of several thousand Milan anti-tank missile systems of various versions.

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have also supplied hundreds of Mistral anti-aircraft systems that were also delivered to Ukraine.