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The UK is expected to send air-launched Storm Shadow missiles along with troops to help with targeting
Originally published on AntiWar
Britain appears to be moving closer to sending Ukraine longer-range missiles that the Biden administration has so far refused to provide.
Last week, the British Defense Ministry posted a procurement notice with the International Fund for Ukraine, a UK-led group of northern European countries that coordinates sending arms to Kyiv. The notice asked for an “expression of interest” in providing Ukraine with strike capabilities of up to 300 kilometers (186 miles).
A British official told The Washington Post that no final decision has been made and wouldn’t specify the type of munition London was considering sending. The range matches the UK’s Storm Shadow missiles, which previous reports have said Britain could provide Ukraine.
Storm Shadow missiles are air-launched and can be fired by Ukriane’s Soviet-made fighter jets. According to the Post, one of the Pentagon documents leaked to Discord showed that US intelligence confirmed that Britain plans to eventually send Storm Shadows to Ukraine, along with personnel to help with targeting data.
The Discord leak on Britain’s plans, which has not been previously reported, signals that the UK could significantly increase its role in the war by sending Storm Shadows if that means also sending troops to help with targeting. According to another leak, the British have 50 special operations soldiers on the ground in Ukraine, significantly more than any other NATO member.
The US has held off providing Ukraine with the Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), munitions that can be fired from the HIMARS rocket systems and have a range of up to 190 miles, similar to the Storm Shadows. Ukrainian officials insist they wouldn’t use the missiles to target Russian territory, but other Discord leaks indicate they would.
