The United Kingdom has confirmed its provision of long-range missiles to Ukraine in response to the country's request for assistance against the invading Russian forces.
The manufacturer states that the Storm Shadow cruise missile has a range exceeding 250 km (155 miles).
In comparison, the Himars missiles supplied by the United States to Ukraine have a range of approximately 80 km (50 miles).
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace stated that these weapons would offer Ukraine the "best chance" of defending itself.
The extended range of the missiles will enable Ukrainian pilots to operate from a safer distance away from the frontlines.
Once deployed, the Storm Shadow missile descends to low altitudes to avoid detection by enemy radar before homing in on its target using an infrared seeker.
President Zelensky has emphasized the need to wait before initiating any offensive actions.
The announcement regarding the missile supply was made by Mr. Wallace in the House of Commons, following repeated appeals from Ukraine for additional Western weaponry.
Mr. Wallace mentioned that these missiles would enable Ukraine to repel Russian forces operating from Ukrainian sovereign territory.
He expressed that the decision was made in response to Russia's continued targeting of civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, which he described as a "dark path."
In December, Mr. Wallace wrote to his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, warning that further attacks could result in the UK providing more advanced weaponry.
He confirmed that the missiles are currently in possession of or on their way to Ukraine, characterizing the action as a "calibrated and proportionate" response to Russia's escalations.
Mr. Wallace acknowledged that the range of the Storm Shadow missiles supplied by Britain does not match that of Russia's own missile systems, some of which have much greater distance capabilities.
Earlier this year, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov assured that longer-range missiles would not be used to target locations within Russian territory.
During an EU meeting, he stated, "If we could strike at a distance of up to 300 kilometers, the Russian army wouldn't be able to provide defense and will have to lose."
He further emphasized that Ukraine is willing to provide guarantees that the supplied weapons will not be employed to attack Russian territory.
In February, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his willingness to send long-range missiles to Ukraine, and the British government initiated a procurement process for their acquisition.
Mr. Sunak stated, "Together we must help Ukraine to shield its cities from Russian bombs and Iranian drones. That's why the United Kingdom will be the first country to give Ukraine longer-range weapons."
On the matter, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented that Moscow would respond militarily in an appropriate manner if Ukrainian forces employ the British-supplied Storm Shadow weapons.
The Storm Shadow missile has been utilized by the British and French air forces and has been previously deployed in conflicts such as those in the Gulf, Iraq, and Libya.
While the British-supplied missiles are specifically designed for aerial deployment, the French missiles can be launched from ships and submarines as well.