UK Ministry of Defence: Ukraine Can Use Our Weapons on Russian Territory

British weapons can be used by the Ukrainian defence forces during military operations in Russia, but restrictions on the use of long-range Storm Shadow missiles remain. This was stated by a spokesman for the UK Ministry of Defence, The Times reports.

This policy means that anti-tank missiles, artillery pieces, armoured vehicles and other equipment provided to Ukrainians by the UK will soon be seen on the battlefield in Russia after images of other Western weapons used in the attack appeared.

The Ministry of Defence stated that its official position was unchanged from that of the previous government, reiterating that Ukraine has a ‘clear right to self-defence against unlawful attacks by Russia... which does not exclude operations inside Russia’.

Former defence secretary Sir Ben Wallace described how, during his tenure, he authorised Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia using ‘any weapon that [was] made available to it’, with the exception of the long-range Storm Shadow missiles.

He suggested that the same rules applied to Ukraine's Kursk operation in Russia. He said that if the attack was aimed at the logistics and infrastructure supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine, then the use of British weapons was ‘perfectly legal’ for Ukraine. 

‘In the process of donating, we make it clear that the equipment must be used in accordance with international law,’ the Ministry of Defence spokesman added.