Sky News: London refuses to reveal if it follows US missile ban lift

A UK Government spokesperson said only Putin benefits from revealing any operational details.

Nov 19, 2024 - 02:00

Sky News: London refuses to reveal if it follows US missile ban lift

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After media reports that the US might have allowed Ukraine to launch its ATACMS missiles deep into Russia, speculations emerged that the UK would change its policy of using its Storm Shadow missiles inside Russia. On 18 November, Sky News reported that a Downing Street spokeswoman declined to confirm any such policy shift.

Yesterday, the New York Times reported, followed by other outlets, that anonymous US officials revealed the Biden Administration had lifted its ban on Ukraine using ATACMS missiles within Russia. Later, Le Figaro reported that France and the UK had also authorized Ukraine to use their Scalp/Storm Shadow missiles against Russian targets. However, Axios noted that Biden’s approval applies to Russia’s Kursk Oblast, where North Korean troops are deployed, without clarifying if other Russian border regions are currently included in the ATACMS permissions.

According to Sky News, the UK Government spokeswoman said:

“We have been consistent throughout that providing specific details on operational matters would only serve to benefit [Vladimir] Putin during an ongoing illegal war.“

When asked if the UK would align its stance with the US, she responded:

“It has always been the case we work closely with our allies and engage to ensure that strategically we are providing the support that Ukraine needs.”

At the same time, the spokeswoman did not reiterate previous Downing Street statements that “the policy has not changed” regarding Ukraine’s use of Storm Shadow missiles.

Notably, when addressing media reports yesterday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declined to directly confirm the existence of authorizations for using Western-supplied missiles on Russian territory. He said that “strikes are not delivered with words. Such things are not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves.”

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