UK Defense Secretary evades parliamentary question on Ukraine's use of Storm Shadow missiles against Russia
British Defense Secretary Luke Pollard sidestepped a Parliamentary inquiry about lifting restrictions on Ukraine's use of Storm Shadow missiles against Russian territory. In his response, he refrained from delving into specifics of the policy.
Conservative MP James Cartlidge had submitted a written question to Defense Secretary Pollard regarding the authorization for using Storm Shadow missiles in strikes on Russia.
Cartlidge's written question was submitted on July 17, 2024, with a response received on July 25. The Defense Secretary explained that the UK has not altered its stance on Ukraine's right to self-defense. According to the government’s position, Ukraine is permitted to defend itself against Russian attacks in accordance with international humanitarian law. The position on Storm Shadow missiles also remained unchanged, Pollard affirmed in his response. However, he declined to specify the exact details of the missile usage policy.
“The position of the UK on Storm Shadow has not changed. I’m sure the honorable member understands that I will not delve into details. We have a clear understanding that the equipment provided by the UK is intended for the defense of Ukraine,” Pollard stated.
Back in late spring 2024, Germany and several of Ukraine’s partner countries had declared that their weapons could be used in strikes against Russia to curb the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region. The United States also granted similar permissions, specifying that the authorization pertained exclusively to artillery and HIMARS rocket system strikes.
On July 12, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Britain had allegedly lifted the ban on using Storm Shadow missiles against Russian territory. He mentioned that he had received this information during his first conversation with the new UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. Shortly thereafter, the British government issued a denial, clarifying that its position on the restrictions remained unchanged.
On July 27, The Times explained why the UK cannot unilaterally permit the use of Storm Shadow missiles for strikes deep into Russian territory. Then on July 29, Russia's Ministry of Defense reported an attack by nearly 40 drones, some of which targeted substations on Russian territory. Further, on July 27, news broke of Ukrainian Defense Forces struck the “Olenya” airfield, a bomber base located 1,800 km from Ukraine.