Ukraine could not effectively use UK missiles without US data: Times
3 Min Read
UK officials were “surprised” by the recent development between Biden and Starmer since US Secretary of State Antony Blinken provided “hints” that the Biden administration would authorize the attacks
-
President Joe Biden hosts a bilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the Blue Room of the White House, on September 13, 2024. (AP)
Ukraine would not be able to effectively use UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles for long-range attacks amid its war with Russia without US targeting data, The Times reported on Saturday.
The newspaper attributed the information to five former British defense secretaries and ex-prime minister Boris Johnson, who contended London should independently authorize Kiev's use of its weapons to target internationally recognized Russian territory instead of awaiting approval from Washington.
“There is no conceivable case for delay,” Johnson asserted.
“Britain could fire Storm Shadows without US approval or assistance, but they might be intercepted by Russian air defenses or be diverted off-course," The Times said, highlighting Russia's warning that Ukraine's Western allies would be directly involved in the war if they grant Kiev permission to use long-range missiles.
One of the defense sources informed the news outlet that Storm Shadows, which are jointly constructed by the UK and France, “probably would not survive in the contested, electronically jammed environment that the Russians have.”
“Russian electronic warfare has rendered GPS useless. They jam it. So it has to use another type of data set instead, which is American-owned,” the source added. According to The Times, although the data is confidential, it is likely related to American ground-mapping capabilities.
Ukraine and US, UK ongoing contentions
US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a meeting in Washington on Friday. The White House suggests a "holding pattern" regarding the issue of Kiev using long-range missiles deep into Russia until Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky visits New York later this month to present his "victory plan."
UK officials were “surprised” by the development after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken provided “hints” that the Biden administration would authorize the attacks, White House sources told The Times.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin reiterated Thursday that Ukraine cannot use Western-supplied long-range systems on its own, since targeting systems require intelligence from NATO satellites and firing solutions that are only accessible by the bloc's personnel.
The authorization of the attacks “will mean that NATO countries – the US and European countries – are fighting against Russia,” Putin said, adding that Moscow will “make the appropriate decisions based on the threats facing us."
Back in May, Russia warned it would target "any British military facilities and equipment on the territory of Ukraine and beyond" when London initially spoke about Ukrainian strikes with its Storm Shadow missiles.
NATO chair backs Ukraine striking Russia with long-range missiles
Following an annual NATO Military Committee Conference in Prague, Military Committee Chair Adm. Rob Bauer stated on Saturday that, from a military perspective, he believes it is "justified" to allow Ukraine to target Russia with long-range missiles provided by the West.
"In accordance with the law of armed conflict, every nation that is attacked has the right to defend itself, and that right does not stop at the border of your own nation," Bauer said.
He further explained that, from a military standpoint, there are compelling reasons for Kiev to strike, such as disrupting Russia's logistics, fuel, and ammunition supplies at the front lines, thereby weakening its enemy.
