Media: Ukraine strikes Russian territory with British Storm Shadow missiles for first time

Ukraine has reportedly deployed British Storm Shadow missiles on Russian territory for the first time, according to Bloomberg and BBC. The strikes targeted Kursk Oblast, where Ukrainian forces maintain positions.

Western nations appeared to have eased restrictions on Ukraine using donated weapons against Russian territory, marking a major policy shift. This change follows intensified Russian bombing of Ukrainian cities and growing military cooperation with North Korea. US intelligence confirms Pyongyang has supplied Russia with missiles and troops, while Moscow provides technology in return.

Eyewitness videos from Maryino, Kursk Oblast, showed approximately fifteen explosions in the area. While some could be attributed to air defense activity, the scale of the bombardment was significant.

Defense Express, a Ukrainian military media outlet, reported that the strikes may have targeted an underground command post housing Russian and North Korean generals. The facility was reportedly located within a historic Baryatinsky estate, officially serving as a sanatorium for the Russian Presidential Administration. Video footage later emerged showing about ten missiles striking what appears to be this same location.

Officials from both sides have maintained strategic ambiguity. Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Unierov stated only that Kyiv is “using all means to defend our country,” while British Defense Secretary John Healey noted that Ukraine’s actions “speak for themselves.”

This development follows a similar pattern from earlier this week when Ukraine allegedly used US-provided ATACMS missiles against a Russian target for the first time. Moscow claims a missile depot in Bryansk Oblast was hit, though neither Ukraine nor the US has confirmed this operation. The reported Storm Shadow deployment comes after the US decision to allow ATACMS use on Russian territory, a move that likely influenced British policy regarding their own long-range missiles.

Read more:

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• ISW reports Kremlin threats over US approval of Ukrainian ATACMS strikes inside Russia