LONDON, November 20. /TASS/. The administration of US President Joe Biden has authorized the use of British long-range Storm Shadow missiles for strikes deep into Russian territory, The Times reported citing sources in the UK parliament.
According to it, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and members of his government are reluctant to give any "operational details" on Storm Shadow to avoid giving Russia any "strategic advantage on the battlefield." It notes that London has for months been trying to get Washington to authorize Storm Shadow strikes deep inside Russia. According to the newspaper, although these are British missiles, their successful use is impossible without American guidance systems.
Meanwhile, those close to Keir Starmer told The Times that the approval of Storm Shadow strikes deep into Russian territory would not alter the course of the Ukraine conflict. Former British Defense Minister Ben Wallace, however, stated that employing these missiles against Russia would send a strong message. He further noted that Germany's transfer of Taurus cruise missiles to Kiev would represent an even more significant development.
The New York Times reported on November 17, citing sources, that US President Joe Biden had authorized the use of US-supplied ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles for strikes inside Russia. According to The Times, the decision was made in Washington three days before it leaked to the media.
On Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Ukraine struck the Bryansk Region on the night of November 19 with ATACMS missiles, five of which were shot down by Pantsir and S-400 systems. Another missile was damaged. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, commenting on the incident at a press conference following his participation in the G20 Summit, said that the strikes on the region were a signal that the West wanted to escalate the situation.