The British Defence Ministry on Thursday announced the transfer of long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, marking the first time a Western allied nation has pledged to deliver such munitions to Kyiv.
In an address to the House of Commons, Defence Minister Ben Wallace outlined alleged Russian war crimes before announcing the delivery of Storm Shadow missiles, a conventionally armed munition that can strike up to 150 miles away.
“Ukraine has a right to be able to defend itself,” Wallace said. “The use of Storm Shadow will allow Ukraine to push back Russian forces based within Ukrainian sovereign territory.”
Ukraine has long asked for long-range missile systems, such as the U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), to better defend itself against Russian forces. ATACMS can strike up to 190 miles away.
Washington has so far resisted the transfer of those weapons systems, largely out of concern Kyiv may strike into Russia’s sovereign territory and escalate the war.
It’s unclear whether Britain formally requested Kyiv not to deploy the Storm Shadow missiles to strike inside Russia.
Wallace on Thursday said the U.K. examined how to minimize escalation, but he said Russian forces would be safer if they withdrew from Ukraine.
“We simply will not stand by while Russia kills civilians,” Wallace said. “We’ve seen what Ukraine can do with the right capabilities.”
Wallace also called the long-range missile weapons transfer a proportional response to Moscow’s repeated missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.
The British-made Storm Shadow missiles would allow Ukraine to strike into Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.
The need for longer-range systems has grown ahead of an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive, which could come any day now. Analysts expect Ukraine to strike in the southeast and cut off a land bridge to Crimea.
After the U.S., Great Britain has been the largest contributor to Ukraine during the war and has led the effort in supplying more advanced weaponry to the nation.
Earlier this year, the U.K. announced the transfer of Challenger 2 tanks, becoming the first Western nation to announce modern tanks for Kyiv.
The decision eventually led to the transfer of more modern tanks from the U.S. and Germany.