British Storm Shadow cruise missiles penetrated Russian air defences in a “massive” strike by Ukraine against a chemical plant inside Russia that makes gunpowder and explosives, the Ukrainian military has revealed.
The use of the British-supplied weapons will likely trigger new threats and condemnation from the Kremlin.
The UK gave Ukraine permission to use its Storm Shadow missiles inside Russia last year, with the first known strikes happening in November.
John Healey, the British defence secretary, on Monday said Vladimir Putin regards the UK as his “number one enemy” because of its support for Ukraine.
The Ukrainian attack on Tuesday also comes as US President Donald Trump appeared to shelve a plan to meet his Russian counterpart to discuss a peace deal on Ukraine within the next fortnight and instead prepares to host Mark Rutte, the head of NATO, in Washington on Wednesday.
Ukraine’s general staff said the target of the strike was a chemical plant in the Russian region of Bryansk, which produces gunpowder, explosives and rocket fuel components used in Russian ammunition and missiles.
“A massive combined missile and airstrike was carried out, including the use of air-launched Storm Shadow missiles, which successfully penetrated the Russian air defence system,” it said in a post on social media.
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“The outcome of the strike is being assessed.”
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Images on social media purport to show flames chugging out of the facility.
The Ukrainian air force, working with the army, navy and other units, carried out the attack.
