Ukraine’s Storm Shadow missiles: Powerful but restricted by UK rules

Contrary to recent reports, Ukraine cannot use Storm Shadow cruise missiles to attack targets located on Russian territory. We explain this weapon and the confusion surrounding the extent to which the Ukrainian army can use it.

Storm Shadow cruise missiles are among the most powerful weapons Ukraine receives from the West. They have even earned the nickname "victory weapons," as the Russians are often powerless against them. Several successful operations involving these missiles have eliminated valuable invader equipment. Additionally, recordings showing the helplessness of Russian anti-aircraft systems against these British super-missiles have surfaced.

Storm Shadow cruise missiles are long-range weapons. They allow for striking targets up to 310 miles away, which, from the Ukrainians' point of view, enables consideration of attacking many targets deep within Russia.

This is not possible, however, due to formal reasons. British authorities have clarified that Storm Shadow cruise missiles can be used in occupied territories (including Crimea) but not on territories belonging to Russia and recognized as such on the international stage.

In July, western media quoted a statement from Keir Starmer suggesting that such restrictions do not apply. However, the British Ministry of Defense called the prime minister's statements "an awkward diplomatic moment" and has now confirmed that "the UK's position on Storm Shadow has not changed" and the weapon can only be used for defensive purposes in areas not belonging to the Russians that they have attacked.

Long range is not the only important aspect highlighted when discussing the capabilities of these missiles. Each weighs about 1.4 tons, of which 990 pounds account for the BROACH (Bomb Royal Ordnance Augmented Charge) warhead, providing enormous destructive power. Notably, the warhead can be programmed to operate in several different modes: contact explosion (on impact), airburst resulting in shrapnel over a large area, and penetration (delay detonation).

Storm Shadow cruise missiles use not only the commonly employed GPS and INS navigation set but also a fourth-generation infrared sensor that sees the target's thermal image. Combined with their low-flying capabilities, this makes them hard for enemy anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems to detect.

Publicly available information indicates that three European countries—in addition to the United Kingdom — are bolstering Ukraine with such weapons. These are Italy and France (which provide the twin SCALP-EG cruise missiles).