Ukraine will get inexperienced gentle to fireside British weapons in Russia, MoD says

Ukraine’s forces can use British weapons during their surprise advance into Russia – but with the exception of the long-range Storm Shadow missiles that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been lobbying Western allies for.

The UK has given armoured vehicles, anti-tank missiles and artillery during the two-and-a-half years of the conflict to Kyiv.

And the Ministry of Defence confirmed that Ukraine has a ‘clear right of self-defence against Russia’s illegal attacks’ that ‘does not preclude operations inside Russia’.

President Zelensky had wanted to additionally use Storm Shadows to strike deep inside Russia, so that he could put an end to Vladimir Putin’s rule, but the UK has so far denied this.

Former defence secretary Sir Ben Wallace told The Times that he gave permission for Ukraine to strike inside Russia with ‘whatever weapons (were) supplied to it’, except for Storm Shadow.

Ukraine’s forces can use British weapons during their surprise advance into Russia – but with the exception of long-range Storm Shadow missiles

President Zelensky had wanted to additionally use Storm Shadows to strike deep inside Russia, so that he could put an end to Vladimir Putin’s rule, but the UK has so far denied this

A map showing the progress of the surprising cross-border attack which is the first foreign invasion of Russian soil since the Second World War

Humiliated: Russian president Vladimir Putin has vowed to drive Ukrainian forces out of Kursk and back across the border

That official policy has remained unchanged by the Labour government but was not previously widely known.

An MoD spokeswoman added: ‘We make clear during the gifting process that equipment is to be used in line with international law.’

Zelensky has set his sights on Ukrainian troops going further into Russia in an attempt to improve Kyiv’s negotiating position with Putin in any possible talks to end the conflict.

The president has claimed his counterattack into the Kursk region could finally topple dictator Putin as reports emerge that 100,000 Russians have fled.

Ukrainian forces are now in control of around 620 square miles of Kursk, located in southern Russia, according to Kyiv’s top general.

On Wednesday, President Zelensky said that Russia has begun to withdraw troops from Ukraine in an effort to stem the offensive.

During a UK visit last month, Zelensky lobbied PM Sir Keir Starmer to lift restrictions on how the Storm Shadow weapon, which has a range of about 250 kilometres, can be used.

During a UK visit last month, Zelensky lobbied PM Sir Keir Starmer to lift restrictions on how the Storm Shadow weapon, which has a range of about 250 kilometres, can be used – but this has so far been denied to Ukraine

A Ukrainian armoured military vehicle travels past a burned car near the Russian-Ukrainian border on Wednesday

Ukraine wants to use them to strike airfields and logistics hubs far beyond the front line that Moscow is using to reinforce its position in Kursk.

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former British tank commander, told The Telegraph Storm Shadow missiles would be able to strike rail heads and key roads coming into Kursk, plus any airfields within 100 miles. 

He said: ‘Putin is rattled and this would show the West is fully committed to Ukraine, which has not been apparent hitherto.’

But the position on how to use the Storm Shadow missiles is not just the UK Government‘s to decide, as since the missile is manufactured with France they also have a say on conditions.

Kyiv has also shrugged off fears that the humiliated Putin may launch ‘hundreds’ of missiles in a violent bid for revenge. 

Military chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi confidently claimed Ukrainian troops are ‘fulfilling their tasks’ a week after the surprise offensive as he declared: ‘The situation is under our control.’