The United States effectively prohibits the United Kingdom from granting Ukraine permission to launch Storm Shadow missiles at Russian territory because of the Biden administration's fears of a possible escalation of the war, UNN reports citing The Times.
While the West is facing growing pressure to relax rules on the use of long-range weapons, Britain is waiting for US approval before giving Ukraine permission to launch Storm Shadow missiles. According to a British government source, the request was submitted more than a month ago, but officials are still waiting for a response. The source noted that this topic is "stuck in their system". A second source in the UK government confirmed that "discussions on Storm Shadow with allies are still ongoing," and a third defense source described it as "a routine process in the US.
While the UK wants to give Ukraine freedom of action with its long-range weapons, this requires the consensus of allies, including the US, France, and another unnamed NATO country. The government source emphasizes that the UK does not blame the US for the delay, adding that such policy changes take time.
The Storm Shadow missiles can hit targets more than 155 miles away and could be used to strike military bases deep in Russia that play a key role in Moscow's military operations in Ukraine. Sabrina Singh, a deputy spokeswoman for the US Department of Defense, acknowledged during a briefing on Thursday that the US is "concerned about escalation" when it comes to Ukraine's use of long-range strikes.
She also suggested that long-range weapons are not necessary to help Ukraine liberate its territory. In an interview with the Times radio station to be aired on Sunday, Matthew Palmer, the US Chargé d'Affaires in the UK, said that the US has no say in the matter, emphasizing that the decision on the conditions of use of British weapons belongs to London and Kyiv.
"I'm not going to interfere in this conversation," he told Theo Usherwood.
Some British military officials believe that the US may wait to assess the impact or consequences of the Ukrainian operation in Russia before making a decision, although they expect the issue to be resolved quickly. A member of Ukraine's defense committee told The Times that Ukraine was forced to conduct the cross-border operation in Kursk because the West refused to allow the use of long-range cruise missiles against targets in Russia.
Colby Badwar, an independent military analyst, said in an interview with The Times: "The Biden administration continues to stick to its policy of prohibiting Ukraine from using long-range weapons to strike Russian territory; this applies not only to the US ATACMS system, but also to the UK's Storm Shadow.
Although Ukraine is prohibited from using Storm Shadow to strike targets in Russia, it is allowed to use other Western weapons, and British Challenger 2 tanks have already been spotted in the Kursk region.
The UK Ministry of Defense stated: "The UK's position has not changed. We are providing military assistance to support Ukraine's clear right to self-defense against Russia's illegal attacks in accordance with international humanitarian law. We are clear that the equipment provided by the UK is for the defense of Ukraine.
On Friday, the military authorities in the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk called on civilians to speed up their evacuation as the Russian army rapidly approaches the city, which has been a key target of Moscow for months. Pokrovsk authorities reported in a telegram channel that Russian troops "are advancing at a rapid pace. Every day there is less and less time to collect personal belongings and leave for safer regions.
Ukrainian troops are trying to divert the Kremlin's military attention from the front lines in Ukraine by launching a bold cross-border incursion into Russia's Kursk region. However, Zelenskiy warned on Thursday that Pokrovsk and other nearby towns in Donetsk region "are facing the most intense Russian attacks.
Recall
The UK did not authorize Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles to attack the Kursk region. The British government confirms that the weapons provided are intended only for the defense of Ukraine.