Russia claims to have shot down stealth missiles the UK transferred to Ukraine

Russia claims to have shot down one of two Storm Shadow cruise missiles used by Ukraine in its attack on the city of Lugansk.

"Air defense systems have intercepted one Storm Shadow cruise missile, seven HARM anti-radar missiles and 10 rockets from the HIMARS system over the past 24 hours," Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said today.

This is the first time the Russian military has announced that it has shot down Storm Shadow missiles supplied to Ukraine by the UK. General Konashenkov did not disclose the air defense system deployed to counter the Ukrainian missiles.

Russian Buk-M3 medium-range air defense system deployed in Zaporizhzhia province earlier this month. Photo: Ria Novosti — Russian Buk-M3 medium-range air defense system deployed in Zaporizhzhia province earlier this month. Photo: *Ria Novosti*

The Joint Control and Coordination Center (JCCC), a Russian organization that monitors attacks on Donetsk and Lugansk provinces, previously announced that Ukrainian aircraft had fired two Storm Shadow missiles at the Lugansk Aviation Pilot Training School, which had been closed since 1997. No one was injured in the incident.

The Ukrainian military has not commented on the information.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Ukrainian forces first used Storm Shadow missiles in a raid on abandoned buildings belonging to the Polypak polymer company and the Milam food processing plant on May 12. A day later, Russian officials said a Storm Shadow missile crashed in the village of Yubileyny on the outskirts of Lugansk, injuring an elderly woman and damaging seven apartment buildings.

Missile debris found at the scene of an airstrike in Lugansk province on the morning of May 15. Photo: Ria Novosti — Missile debris found at the scene of an airstrike in Lugansk province on the morning of May 15. Photo: *Ria Novosti*

Lugansk officials said Ukraine also deployed US-made ADM-160B decoys in Storm Shadow missile strikes, to complicate Russian air defenses.

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed on May 11 that the country is providing Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine to "give Kiev the best chance of defending itself against Moscow." The missile uses a stealth design, has a maximum speed of 1,000 km/h and a range of 250-560 km depending on the version.

The Russian Foreign Ministry on May 12 condemned Britain's provision of long-range missiles to Ukraine, calling it a hostile act against Moscow and an expansion of the war.

The situation of the war in Ukraine. Graphics: WP

A Western official said Ukraine had assured the British government that it would only use Storm Shadow missiles to attack areas controlled by Russia after the outbreak of hostilities in February 2022 and the Crimean peninsula, and not attack deep inside Russian territory.

The Ukrainian army has rarely attacked the city of Lugansk since the outbreak of hostilities in February 2022, due to a lack of long-range weapons that can hit targets there.

Vu Anh (According to Ria Novosti, AFP )

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