UK Defense Ministry confirms delivery of long-range Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine

This is reported by the BBC.

The United Kingdom confirmed that it is supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles, which it has requested to fight Russian troops.

Storm Shadow is a long-range cruise missile developed jointly by the UK and France. It is usually launched from the air. 

With a range of more than 250 km, or 155 miles, it is only slightly inferior to the 185-mile US Army's Air-to-Air Cruise Missile System (ATACMS).

A Western official told CNN that the UK had received assurances from the Ukrainian government that the missiles would be used only within Ukraine's sovereign territory and not toward Russia. 

The Storm Shadow missile is "a real game changer from a range perspective," the US military official said. The missile will give Kyiv the capabilities it has been asking for since the beginning of the war.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin has already reacted to the deployment of Storm Shadow, with spokesman Peskov saying that Russia has an extremely negative attitude toward it, Russian media reported. He noted that this will require an adequate response from the Russian military, which will make the appropriate decisions.

• On May 9, the UK was reported to be preparing to send Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine, capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 300 km.