Russian military bloggers are sounding the alarm, and so is the Kremlin: the device that Ukraine fired at a machine factory in the Russian-occupied city of Luhansk last Friday may have been British stealth cruise missiles of the “Storm Shadow” type.
At least that’s what the Russian occupiers and the Ministry of Defense in Moscow say. There is no official confirmation from the Ukrainian side.
Ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to London on Monday, the British government announced it would deliver “hundreds” of anti-aircraft missiles and combat drones to Ukraine. Last week, London announced the delivery of Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine. The attacks on Luhansk are now fueling speculation that Ukraine has already acquired and is using Storm Shadows. US broadcaster CNN reported last week that the cruise missiles had already arrived in Kiev.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was forced to put into perspective the importance of British arms supplies to Ukraine on Monday: he said they would have “no significant impact” on the course of the war.
According to their own reports, the Russian military immediately responded and shot down a “Storm Shadow”. In addition, Russian troops intercepted US-made short-range Himars and Harm missiles.
Although the Russian reports have not been definitively confirmed, they indicate that the use of Ukrainian cruise missiles could give Kiev a significant advantage in the fight against Russia.
Because military experts believe that “Storm Shadows”, including a A range of over 250 km At their disposal would force Russia to move their logistics bases further from the front line. So “Storm Shadow” becomes a game changer At the current stage of the war in Ukraine?
“Storm Shadow”: Long range and diversionary maneuvers
According to the manufacturer “MBDA”, the cruise missile is particularly suitable for hitting stationary targets. Weighing 1,300 kilograms and measuring 5.10 meters in length, the missile travels to its target at an altitude of 30 to 40 meters and identifies it with an infrared sensor.
Ukraine may abandon “Storm Shadows” with Su-24 bombers – at least it was tested in Poland in December 2022. London said last week that European technicians had been working hard in recent weeks to make these rockets usable by Soviet-designed bombers and fighter jets.
What’s special about “Storm Shadow” from the British-French production is not only its range: it can “Regarding Disruptions” will be used. These deceive the enemy’s air defenses, “thus increasing the chances of success of an air strike,” writes Polish military analyst Konrad Muzyka on his blog, where he regularly comments on military developments in the war in Ukraine.
According to Musica, images published by Russian newspaper Izvestia on Saturday show Ukraine carried out an airstrike in Luhansk by “Shadows of the Storm”: which Remnants of the AGM-160B MALD wreck to see It confirmed that “the system is integrated into Ukrainian launch sites.”
The decoy missile found in Luhansk has a range of about 926 kilometers and follows the radar signature of various types of aircraft, according to Musica. Radars of enemy forces are intercepted. However, it is unclear whether Ukraine actually has these capabilities.
Another indication of the use of “Storm Shadows” is the distance of the shelled factory: after all, it is 80 kilometers from the front line. For example, the US multiple rocket launchers Himar, which Ukraine has successfully used so far, have a range of about 80 kilometers.
Consequences of the Russian military: Long-term disruption to logistics
“Shadows of the storm” Ukraine, for example, can It also hit targets in Crimea. In addition, the threat of “Storm Shadows” use forces Russia to “relocate its logistics bases and command posts to avoid their destruction, similar to the operation of the first HIMARS platforms,” writes Muzyka.
The Ukrainian military expert Oleksiy Melnik Tagesspiegel told Tagesspiegel that the use of “storm shadows” could significantly weaken Russia’s combat capability: “Even if Russia were to adapt and move its bases, it would limit them significantly: the forward paths would be longer, it would take more time to bring the necessary equipment to the front. This would significantly weaken their position. . (with agencies)
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