Ukraine may soon use the British 'Storm Shadow' cruise missile to strike deep inside Russia.
Ukraine plans to change its war strategy with the use of long-range cruise missiles targeting deep inside Russian territory. Kyiv's use of missiles has so far been within its own territory where the Russian military has invaded.
Recent reports suggest that the United Kingdom, a key NATO member, has cleared Ukraine's use of the Storm Shadow cruise missile to target Russian territories. This may push Moscow's red lines in the conflict.
Anticipating a shift in Ukraine's strategy, backed by its NATO allies, Russia, earlier this month, said it has become necessary for Moscow to revise its nuclear doctrine because of the West's escalation of the war in Ukraine.
UK has reportedly cleared Ukraine's use of the Storm Shadow cruise missile to target Russian territories.
This new development emerges at a time when the war between Russia and Ukraine has greatly intensified. Russia has increased its missile attacks while Ukraine has responded with escalation in drone attacks.
So far, there are restriction on the use of advanced western weaponry on targets within Russian territory, but this is likely to change with such clearances reportedly being issued by the UK.
Ukraine already has the Storm Shadow missile, but uses it only within its territory to combat Russian forces.
THE STORM SHADOW MISSILE
The Storm Shadow is a low-observable, long-range air-launched cruise missile. It is jointly developed by the United Kingdom and France and has a range of around 500 km. It has already been integrated into Ukrainian fighter aircraft, including the Russia-built Su-24 bombers - a legacy of the past, from when Ukraine was part of the erstwhile Soviet Union.
The Storm Shadow is a low-observable, long-range air-launched cruise missile.
Developed in 1994 and manufactured by Matra and British Aerospace, the Storm Shadow missile is now made by MBDA Systems. 'Storm Shadow' is the weapon's British name, while in France it is called the SCALP-EG.
The Storm Shadow missile has a range of around 500 km and can target territories deep inside Russia. (Photo Credit: Posted on X by @TopLeadEU)
How the export of such long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine were permitted is not clear yet as the Missile Technology Control Regime or MTCR, which UK is a founding member of, restricts the export of missiles which have a range greater than 300 km and a payload capacity of 500 kg. While the Storm Shadow missile has a warhead less than 500 kg, it breaches the MTCR regulations in terms of range exceeding the limit.
The MTCR, however, is an informal political understanding between member states and its regulations are not always binding.
THE FALLOUT
Should Ukraine get the green signal to use cruise missiles to attack Russian territory, a Russian response to this could be massive. The international worry is that Moscow may seriously consider the use of nuclear weapons in such a scenario.
'Storm Shadow' is the weapon's British name, while in France it is called the SCALP-EG.
The Kremlin has blamed the "collective actions of the West" in Ukraine for Russia to revise its nuclear doctrine, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had said earlier this month.
Without revealing what the changes will be to Russia's nuclear doctrine, Moscow has said that certain changes are required to be made on the policy over the circumstances for the use of its nukes.
President Vladimir Putin had set the current nuclear doctrine in place four years ago. According to that, Russia may use nuclear weapons in the scenario where it comes under a nuclear attack or if a conventional attack threatens the existence of the state.
An update to the Russian nuclear doctrine is now necessary "against the backdrop of the challenges and threats provoked by the countries of the so-called collective West", Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
"Moscow foresees the likelihood of Ukraine using long-range missiles and other weapons supplied by the United States and its NATO allies to attack deep inside Russian territory," Mr Peskov had said, adding that "Ukraine will obviously do this, and we are taking that into account."
INDIA ATTEMPTS FOR PEACE
India, meanwhile, is trying to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval currently in Moscow for a summit of NSAs. He met Vladimir Putin on Thursday and is reportedly carrying a peace plan sent by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
PM Modi had visited Russia in July and followed that with a visit to Ukraine last month. He was received warmly both by Putin and Zelenskyy and is considered one of the very few leaders in the world to have a close bond with both leaders.
It is not known yet, if such a peace plan will be accepted by Russia, but India, which has friendly ties with both nations has offered to play its part in helping end the war.