Ukraine ‘fires British missile at Russian-held city’ | world news
Long-range missiles supplied by Britain were used in a devastating attack on a city held by Russian forces in Ukraine, sources say.
Two industrial sites in the Russian-controlled city of Luhansk were attacked by Ukrainian planes on Friday.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the weapons used in the attack were British Storm Shadow cruise missiles.
About 60 miles behind Russian lines in eastern Ukraine, a meat processing and chemical plant was completely destroyed by shelling.
The Russian ministry said: “Storm Shadow air-to-air missiles supplied by Britain to the Kiev regime were used in the attack, contrary to statements by London that these weapons would not be used against civilian targets.”
It was also claimed that Russia shot down two Ukrainian fighter jets — a Su-24 and a MiG-29 — that were firing the missiles.
Britain became the first country to confirm on Thursday that it had begun supplying long-range missiles to Kiev.
A batch of missiles has been sent to allow forces to hit Russian troops and supply depots deep across the front lines as Ukraine prepares a major counteroffensive.
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the missiles could be used on Ukrainian territory, implying he had received assurances from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that they would not be used to strike targets within Russia’s internationally recognized borders.
Mr Wallace told Parliament earlier this week that the weapons would give Ukraine the “best chance” to defend itself, citing Russia’s targeting of civilians as the reason for the missiles delivery.
He said: “Russia must recognize that its actions alone have led to the deployment of such systems.”
The Storm Shadow cruise missiles have a range of more than 155 miles, according to the manufacturer, in contrast to Ukraine’s US-supplied Himars missiles, which only have a range of about 50 miles.
Earlier, the Kremlin had stated that Britain’s deployment of these missiles would require “an appropriate response from our military.”
The Russian ministry also claimed that the armed forces had gained control of another block in the eastern city of Bakhmut, which Moscow has been trying to capture in a grueling artillery battle for more than a decade.
It went on to say: “The units of the airborne troops supported the attack units and held the enemy on the flanks.”
The ministry often uses the term “assault units” to refer to the private Wagner militia that led the attack on Bakhmut, inflicting heavy casualties.
Russia also reportedly attacked the Ukrainian city of Ternopil when the country’s Eurovision band, based in the city, was scheduled to perform last night.
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