Thanks to what was stated by the Secretary of Defense of the United Kingdom, it was announced that this government, together with that of Italy and France, have supplied Storm Shadow/SCALP EG cruise missiles to Ukraine. What is striking about the announcement is the mention of the Italian government, which had not officially announced it to maintain a low profile, marking the first time that Italy has sent this type of missile to kyiv in support of its armed forces.
“It is the United Kingdom, France and Italy that are positioning those weapons for use, particularly in Crimea. “These weapons are making a very significant difference.” declared UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps during a recent visit to the MBDA production facility where Storm Shadow cruise missiles are assembled.
This shipment was announced at the end of March when the Italian Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto, declared that the value of exports authorized for 2023 to kyiv had reached 417 million euros. Although the transfer list was classified, most of the equipment supplied by Rome was announced by the kyiv authorities or by the Ukrainian president himself, Volodymyr Zelensky.
MBDA’s Storm Shadow missile is a stealth weapon designed to attack valuable targets from a safe distance, being used by the RAF and the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare) in operations in Libya in 2011. With a 450 kilogram conventional warhead and a range greater than 250 kilometers, provides Ukraine with an improved ability to attack targets at long range. Italy acquired around 200 Storm Shadow missiles, which have been used extensively in the past. Additionally, the SCALP EG, the French variant of the Storm Shadow, is also in use in Ukraine.
Ukraine used Storm Shadow missiles in combat in May 2023, according to Russia, which alleges they were used to attack industrial sites in Luhansk. These missiles provided by the United Kingdom, launched from Su-24s modified to launch cruise missiles, supported by MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters, were accompanied by UAVs and ADM-160 MALD decoys. Although the Ukrainian Defense Minister claimed complete success, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have intercepted some. The attacks included a significant incident in June, which resulted in the death of Major General Sergey Goryachev, and several attacks on Russian bridges and ports, with severe damage reported. Furthermore, British Minister Shapps urged Germany to reconsider its decision not to supply its Taurus missiles to Ukraine, emphasizing their effectiveness and the availability of these missiles.
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