LONDON. May 11 (Interfax) - United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace has confirmed earlier media reports that London is sending Storm Shadow low-observable long-range air-launched cruise missiles to Ukraine.
"Today, I can confirm that the UK is donating Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine. Storm Shadow is a long-range, conventional-only precision-strike capability," Wallace said in the House of Commons on Thursday.
The Storm Shadow missiles would complement the long-range systems already given to Kiev, including HIMARS and Harpoon missiles, he said.
CNN reported earlier on Thursday that the UK had donated Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine, citing unidentified Western officials. One of the sources said Kiev had assured London that it would not use the missiles to strike targets inside Russia.
The Storm Shadow's range is about 250 kilometers, which is only slightly shorter than that of U.S.-made ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles, which Washington previously declined to supply to Ukraine. CNN pointed out that the range of U.S. munitions delivered to Kiev thus far is no greater than 78.8 kilometers.
A previously leaked U.S. intelligence document suggested that London intended to send an unspecified number of Storm Shadow missiles to Kiev along with British personnel to help target them. The Washington Post said the Storm Shadow missiles could be launched from Soviet-era planes currently operated by Ukraine.