Ukraine Seeks UK Green Light to Strike Moscow and St. Petersburg Targets With Storm Shadow Missiles

Ukraine is aiming to obtain permission from the United Kingdom to use long-range Storm Shadow missiles against targets deep within Russia, a strategy that could force Moscow to start negotiations to end the conflict, The Guardian reports, citing high-ranking Ukrainian officials.

One of the sources said that Russia would only agree to negotiations if it realized that Ukraine could “threaten Moscow and St. Petersburg.”

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The use of Storm Shadow to strike deep into Russian territory would demonstrate to the Kremlin that military facilities near the Russian capital are under threat of direct attacks, other sources from the publication said.

However, this strategy carries risk and has not yet received support from the US. Although Storm Shadow missiles were developed as part of Anglo-French cooperation, some components are supplied by the United States, meaning permission for their use in Ukraine must also come from the White House. Nevertheless, the White House has so far refused, fearing an escalation of the conflict.

Kyiv has been lobbying for months to get approval to use Storm Shadow against targets in Russia but has been unsuccessful. However, with growing challenges on the eastern front, the belief that a counterattack is the best option is gaining momentum.

On Aug. 12, amid a Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region, President Volodymyr Zelensky sought to secure Western approval for the use of long-range weapons to strike Russian territory.

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On the same day, The Telegraph, citing a representative from the British Prime Minister’s office, reported that Kyiv had not received permission from London to use long-range Storm Shadow missiles for strikes on Russia.