The policy of the British government regarding granting Ukraine permission to strike with Storm Shadow missiles at strategic objects on the territory of Russia turned out to be too confusing.
Points of attention
- Britain's policy on granting Ukraine permission to use Storm Shadow missiles against Russia is complex and requires approval from allies.
- The relationship between Britain and Ukraine in terms of military-political ties is challenging, leading to difficulties in making decisions independently.
- Allies are cautious about the consequences of Storm Shadow missiles hitting civilian targets in Russia, raising concerns about potential escalation.
- The new Prime Minister's proposal to relax restrictions on Ukraine's use of Storm Shadow missiles has sparked debates about the approval process and international implications.
- The approval for Ukraine to carry out Storm Shadow strikes on Russia depends on convincing allies, particularly France, and addressing concerns about unintended civilian casualties.
Why can't Britain decide whether to allow Ukraine to carry out Storm Shadow strikes on the Russian Federation?
The publication notes that immediately after taking office, the new Prime Minister of Great Britain, Keir Starmer, proposed to relax restrictions on Ukraine's use of long-range Storm Shadow missiles, in particular, for strikes on strategic objects on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Initially, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy perceived this as permission to use British missiles to hit targets on the territory of the Russian Federation.
However, the British government later denied Starmer's claims that Ukraine had been given permission to use Storm Shadow to strike targets on the territory of the aggressor country.
What does Ukraine's permission for Storm Shadow attacks on the Russian Federation depend on?
According to the publication's interlocutors from the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain, the country had to convince France, which also produces Storm Shadow missiles, of the need to grant such permission.
The British military department emphasizes that the country cannot make such decisions on its own.
Another interlocutor of the publication noted that Great Britain sent a request to the allies and the country's Ministry of Defense is waiting for a response.
According to Ben Barry, a senior researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies on Land Warfare, allies are concerned that if Storm Shadow missiles mistakenly hit civilian targets, Russia will have an excuse and a pretext for further escalation of the situation.
