Ukraine: What are Storm Shadow missiles?

Storm Shadow cruise missiles made in the UK and donated to Ukraine have been used to strike targets inside Russia.

The long-range weapons – which cost roughly £2m each – have been used to devastating effect in the Black Sea, sinking or damaging multiple Russian ships.

Now Ukraine’s allies have lifted restrictions on Storm Shadows and other long-range missiles, meaning Kyiv’s military can use them against targets across the border.

What are Storm Shadow missiles?

Storm Shadows are cruise missiles developed by the UK and France in the 1990s.

Launched from aircraft, they have a range more than 155 miles, manufacturer MBDA says, and can travel at speeds exceeding 600mph.

They have been used by the RAF and French air force and in the Gulf, Iraq and Libya, and more recently have been used by Ukrainian forces.

What sets them apart from some other projectiles is they use terrain mapping to navigate to their target, rather than relying just on GPS, military analyst Sean Bell says.

The missiles can be used with high precision for deep strikes while evading detection, the manufacturer says.

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How are they being used in Ukraine?

Back in May 2023, the UK government announced it would provide Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles – the first country to do so.

Since then they have been used by Kyiv’s defenders to strike Russian targets inside Ukraine, under the condition they not be used to attack targets inside Russia itself.

While operational details of their use have been kept secret by Ukraine and the UK, it has been reported Storm Shadows have been used to hit military headquarters as well as ships.

But the deployment of North Korean troops alongside Russian soldiers prompted the West to allow Ukraine to fire Western-made missiles into Russia.

Storm Shadows can likely be operated entirely from within Ukraine, though probably with the assistance of intelligence gathered by Western surveillance planes over international waters