By The U.S. and U.K. are close to potentially lifting their restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles to target sites within Russia. Ukraine has been pressing for this change for weeks, highlighting the need for more effective counterattacks. The hesitation from Western allies raises questions about its potential impact on the conflict and the reasons behind it.
Storm Shadow, also known as Scalp in France, is an Anglo-French cruise missile with a range of about 250 km (155 miles). Launched from aircraft, it flies at near-sound speeds, closely following the terrain before descending to detonate its high-explosive warhead. Storm Shadow is a crucial asset for Ukraine, designed to penetrate fortified positions and ammunition depots. However, each missile costing nearly $1 million is used judiciously, often in combination with less expensive drones to overwhelm and distract enemy defenses.
Britain and France have already provided Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine but have restricted their use to targets within Ukrainian borders. These missiles have proven effective, notably hitting Russia’s Black Sea naval headquarters at Sevastopol and making Crimea increasingly dangerous for the Russian navy.
Ukraine is facing constant bombardment from Russia, with many of the missiles and glide bombs causing destruction launched from deep within Russian territory. Kyiv argues that the inability to strike these launch sites limits its defensive capabilities and is akin to fighting with one hand tied behind its back. While Ukraine has developed an innovative drone program capable of reaching targets inside Russia, these drones have smaller payloads and are often intercepted.
To counter Russian air strikes more effectively, Ukraine seeks to use long-range missiles like Storm Shadow and American Atacms, which have a range of up to 300 km.
The primary concern for Western allies is the potential for escalation. Washington worries that allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied missiles to strike targets deep inside Russia could provoke a strong retaliatory response from Moscow. There is a fear that hardliners in the Kremlin might retaliate by targeting missile transit points in neighboring countries, such as an airbase in Poland. Despite previous instances where Russian threats were ultimately bluffs, the potential for escalating the conflict remains a significant concern for Western policymakers.
