Ukraine's British Missiles Depend on US Data, According to Times
According to a report from The Times, Storm Shadow missiles may fail to reach their intended targets if London permits Kiev to carry out strikes deep within Russia. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
According to sources, Storm Shadow missiles will not successfully strike their targets if London allows Kiev to unilaterally conduct long-range attacks into Russia.
The Times reported that Ukraine will struggle to effectively utilize British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles for these attacks without targeting data from the US. In a Saturday article, the publication referenced five former UK defense secretaries and ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who all commented that London should permit Kiev to use its munitions against internationally recognized Russian territory without awaiting US approval. Johnson firmly stated, “There is no conceivable case for delay.”
For months, Ukraine has sought this kind of permission, while Russia has warned that such actions would signify direct Western involvement in the conflict between Moscow and Kiev.
The Times pointed out that while “Britain could fire Storm Shadows without US approval or assistance, they might be intercepted by Russian air defenses or be diverted off-course.”
A UK defense source explained that the Storm Shadows, developed jointly by the UK and France, “probably would not survive in the contested, electronically jammed environment that the Russians have.”
The source further indicated, "Russian electronic warfare has rendered GPS useless. They jam it. So it has to use another type of data set instead, which is American-owned,” emphasizing that this data is likely classified and associated with American ground-mapping capabilities.
During discussions between US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Washington on Friday, the White House indicated it was entering a “holding pattern” regarding strikes deep into Russia until Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky visits New York later this month to present his “victory plan.” UK officials were reportedly “surprised” by this development, suggesting the Biden administration was leaning towards permitting such attacks based on “hints” from Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated on Thursday that Ukraine does not possess the capability to independently utilize Western long-range systems, stating that targeting for these systems necessitates intelligence from NATO satellites, requiring NATO military personnel to enter firing solutions.
Putin warned that the authorization of such attacks “will mean that NATO countries – the US and European countries – are fighting against Russia” and noted that Russia would “make the appropriate decisions based on the threats facing us.”
In May, when discussions first arose regarding the potential for Ukrainian strikes with Storm Shadow missiles inside Russia, Moscow cautioned that it could target “any British military facilities and equipment on the territory of Ukraine and beyond” in retaliation.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
The Times reported that Ukraine will struggle to effectively utilize British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles for these attacks without targeting data from the US. In a Saturday article, the publication referenced five former UK defense secretaries and ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who all commented that London should permit Kiev to use its munitions against internationally recognized Russian territory without awaiting US approval. Johnson firmly stated, “There is no conceivable case for delay.”
For months, Ukraine has sought this kind of permission, while Russia has warned that such actions would signify direct Western involvement in the conflict between Moscow and Kiev.
The Times pointed out that while “Britain could fire Storm Shadows without US approval or assistance, they might be intercepted by Russian air defenses or be diverted off-course.”
A UK defense source explained that the Storm Shadows, developed jointly by the UK and France, “probably would not survive in the contested, electronically jammed environment that the Russians have.”
The source further indicated, "Russian electronic warfare has rendered GPS useless. They jam it. So it has to use another type of data set instead, which is American-owned,” emphasizing that this data is likely classified and associated with American ground-mapping capabilities.
During discussions between US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Washington on Friday, the White House indicated it was entering a “holding pattern” regarding strikes deep into Russia until Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky visits New York later this month to present his “victory plan.” UK officials were reportedly “surprised” by this development, suggesting the Biden administration was leaning towards permitting such attacks based on “hints” from Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated on Thursday that Ukraine does not possess the capability to independently utilize Western long-range systems, stating that targeting for these systems necessitates intelligence from NATO satellites, requiring NATO military personnel to enter firing solutions.
Putin warned that the authorization of such attacks “will mean that NATO countries – the US and European countries – are fighting against Russia” and noted that Russia would “make the appropriate decisions based on the threats facing us.”
In May, when discussions first arose regarding the potential for Ukrainian strikes with Storm Shadow missiles inside Russia, Moscow cautioned that it could target “any British military facilities and equipment on the territory of Ukraine and beyond” in retaliation.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
