Moscow calls delivery of British missiles to Ukraine “extremely hostile step”

Moscow, May 12. The Russian Foreign Ministry warned today that the UK’s delivery of long-range Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine is a “very aggressive step” that could lead to a dangerous escalation in the region.

“We consider this decision to be a very new aggressive step on the part of London aimed at continuing the injection of weapons into Ukraine and which will lead to a dangerous escalation,” the Russian diplomat said in a statement.

According to Foreign Affairs, Russia “reserves the right to take all necessary measures to neutralize threats that may arise as a result of Ukraine’s use of British cruise missiles.”

The ministry, headed by Sergei Lavrov, added that “the perpetrators and perpetrators of this unreasonable step will bear full and complete responsibility for London’s subversive actions.”

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed Thursday in Parliament that his government will send long-range Storm Shadow missiles to the Ukrainian army.

In his statement, Wallace said that “the donation of these weapons systems gives Ukraine the best opportunity to defend itself against continued Russian brutality, especially deliberate attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, which contravene international law.”

The minister stressed that “Ukraine has the right to be able to defend itself against this,” and insisted that these missiles “will allow Ukraine to expel Russian forces stationed within Ukrainian sovereign territory.”

The politician also indicated that he did not plan to expand on the capabilities of those missiles but noted that “these systems are not even in the same league as the Russian hypersonic Killjoy AS-24 (Kinzhal) missiles,” nor are they on the same level. • “Caliber cruise missiles, which have a range of 2,000 km, about seven times the range of Storm Shadow.”

“Russia must realize that its actions led to the provision of these systems to Ukraine,” the British minister said, concluding that it was “a measured and proportionate response to the Russian escalation.”

The Storm Shadow missiles, jointly developed by the UK and France, have a range of more than 250 kilometers, just short of the ATACMS that the US has so far refused to send to Ukraine.

Moss / any