UK-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles have been used by Ukraine for the first time, Russian separatists have claimed. Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces used the projectiles against targets in the east of the country, the Luhansk People’s Republic claimed in a series of posts on their Telegram channel.
Footage appeared to show Vladimir Putin ally Viktor Vodolatsky, 65, his face bloodied, being led out of a building which was hit by one missile.
The LPR’s statement said: “According to updated information, on May 12, 2023, during a missile attack on the city of Luhansk the Ukrainian armed forces used two Storm Shadow cruise missiles (produced by the UK and France) and one ADM-160B MALD missile (produced by the US).”
One missile was reported to have hit a building being used to supply Russian armed forces, while another was claimed to have hit a former government building being used a Russian barracks, causing casualties.
In a separate telegram post, the LPR shared a clip purportedly showing smoke billowing out of a burning building.
Speaking yesterday, according to Russian state news agency Tass, Defence Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov said: “On May 12, at around 6.30 pm Moscow time the Ukrainian air forces’ combat aircraft carried out a missile strike on the polymer maker Polipak and the meat-processing enterprise Milam in the city of Luhansk.
“The attack used Storm Shadow air missiles supplied by the UK to the Kiev regime despite London’s statements that those weapons would not be used in attacks on civil facilities. Residential houses in the vicinity were damaged. Casualties were reported, including six children.”
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed Britain was now supplying Shadow Storm missiles, which cost £2.2million each, in a statement delivered in the House of Commons on Thursday.
He said: “Storm Shadow is a long-range conventional precision strike capability. It compliments the long-range systems already gifted, including HIMARS and Harpoon missiles, as well as Ukraine’s own Neptune cruise missiles and longer-range munitions already gifted.
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“The donation of these weapon systems gives Ukraine the best chance to defend themselves against Russia’s continued brutality.
“Especially, the deliberate targeting of Ukrainian Civilian Infrastructure, which is against International Law. Ukraine has a right to be able to defend itself against this.
“Their use of Storm Shadow will allow Ukraine to push back Russian forces based within Ukrainian Sovereign Territory.”
In a tweet on Friday, Mr Zelensky thanked UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak “for the significant enhancement of our capabilities with long-range Storm Shadow missiles and other irreplaceable military assistance”.
He added: “We discussed further defence cooperation and coordinated our positions on the eve of upcoming international events. In particular, we need clear signals about Ukraine’s future with NATO.”
Britain is understood to have received assurances that the missiles will only be used defensively against targets in Ukrainian territory being occupied by Vladimir Putin’s forces.
Russian ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin on Friday accused the UK of supplying Storm Shadow missiles to allow them to strike Russian cities, according to a statement shared with TASS.
Referring to the ambassador’s speech to the Russian Club of Oxford, the statement said: “He emphasised this means considerable escalation of the conflict and an expansion of the military operations area.
“It has been noted that Western countries used to be cautious enough to avoid sending Kiev weapons like this.
“It’s obvious for us that London made this step to enable Kyiv to strike Russian cities and villages, including the territory of Crimea.
“We regret that the UK, which has nothing to do with this conflict, nevertheless plays a leading role in extending and escalating it.”
