WASHINGTON, November 20. /TASS/. A US State Department spokesman refused to say whether Washington provides Kiev with targeting data for strikes inside Russia with Britain’s Storm Shadow missiles.
"I'm not going to speak to that at all," US State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller said at a regular news conference.
He also declined to discuss the presumed first strike on Russia with the missiles.
"I can't speak to that. Can't confirm it," the spokesman said.
Miller was asked whether Kiev consults with Washington about using Storm Shadows.
"We consult with the Ukrainian government, the Ukrainian military, about a broad range of tactics that they can use to defend themselves. But I'm not going to speak publicly to the use of another country's weapons, not US-provided weapons," he said.
The Times earlier reported, citing Downing Street sources, that the US had authorized the use of British long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike deeper inside Russia.
On November 17, the New York Times reported, citing sources, that US President Joe Biden allowed Ukraine to use ATACMS missiles for deeper strikes inside Russia. US officials neither confirm nor deny such reports publicly. Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell said some EU countries also authorized the use of their weapons for deeper strikes inside Russia.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned on November 19 that Russia’s updated nuclear doctrine stipulates a potential nuclear strike if Western-made conventional missiles are used against Russia. Earlier, he described the West’s decision as a "qualitatively new" round of escalation.