Starmer below stress to let Ukraine fireplace British-supplied missiles
Sir Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure to stop ‘tying Ukraine’s hands’ and let Kyiv fire British-supplied missiles deeper into Russian territory.
The Prime Minister is facing renewed calls to ditch the UK’s veto on its Storm Shadow ‘bunker buster’ weapons being used to strike targets inside Russia.
Former Tory defence minister Tobias Ellwood urged Sir Keir to realise that unleashing the long-range cruise missiles on ‘legitimate’ targets ‘could be pivotal in crippling Putin’s war effort’.
Separately, ex-prime minister Boris Johnson hit out at the ‘ridiculous restrictions’ being placed on weapons supplied by the West to beat off Russian aggression.
The terms on which the UK supplies the Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine are not published, but it is understood they are provided on condition that they are used only for defensive purposes.
Sir Keir Starmer is under increasing pressure to allow Ukraine to fire British-supplied missiles into Russian territory
Despite having a range of 186 miles, current rules mean the weapons can be deployed only on targets inside Ukraine
Kyiv is hoping to persuade other Nato countries to drop the ban on hitting targets, with a view to disrupting supply lines within Russia to blunt Putin’s attacks
It means that, despite having a range of 186 miles, the weapons can be deployed only on targets inside Ukraine – including Russian-occupied territory, such as Crimea – although ‘defensive’ targets just across the Russian border are apparently allowed.
So-called ‘offensive’ use deep inside Russia is currently ruled out. But in an historic address to the British Cabinet last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued an impassioned plea to the Prime Minister to ‘show your leadership’ and get the restrictions dropped.
Kyiv, which is hoping to persuade other Nato countries to drop their ban on hitting Russian targets, is understood to want to disrupt supply lines inside Russia to blunt Vladimir Putin’s attacks.
Moscow has warned of retaliation if Western-supplied arms are used in that way. And despite greeting Mr Zelensky with a hug last week, Sir Keir rebuffed his request, with No10 later insisting ‘equipment provided by the UK is intended for the defence of Ukraine’.
Writing in the Daily Mail yesterday, Mr Johnson said: ‘Over the past two years, we have continually willed the Ukrainians the end – victory – without willing them the means. We have been chronically slow to give them the right kit, and even now we place restrictions on how they can use it, so the Ukrainians are fighting with one hand tied behind their backs.
‘At present, the Russians are using air-launched glide bombs to do significant damage to Ukrainian positions. But the Ukrainians can’t fire back because the US won’t let them use the ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) to get at the Russian airfields, and the UK, I am sorry to say, won’t let them use Storm Shadow (our long-range air-launched cruise missiles).’
Despite greeting Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, Sir Keir rebuffed his request to drop the restrictions
Former Tory defence minister Tobias Ellwood urged Sir Keir to realise that unleashing the long-range cruise missiles on ‘legitimate’ targets could play a key role in crippling Russia’s war effort
Mr Ellwood also urged a rethink on the use of Storm Shadows, which cost about £2 million each and are launched from specially modified SU-24 strike aircraft.
He said: ‘Let’s not tie Ukraine’s hands with caveats placed on British, French and American long-range cruise missile systems that could be pivotal in crippling Putin’s war effort in Ukraine.’
He also stressed missiles ‘must be used responsibly by Ukraine on legitimate targets within Russia’ to avoid the conflict escalating.
Last night, Government sources declined to comment on ‘operational detail’ concerning the missiles. But a spokesman insisted: ‘There has been no change in the UK’s position.’
