Al Arabiya.net – Agencies
Published in: May 13, 2023: 04:50 PM GST
Last updated: May 13, 2023: 05:22 PM GST
On Saturday, Moscow accused Kiev of using long-range British “Storm Shadow” missiles against “civilian targets” in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine, which is controlled by Russian forces.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that “Storm Shadow air-to-air missiles supplied by the UK to the Kiev regime were used to carry out the strike, despite London’s statements that these weapons will not be used against civilian targets,” according to AFP.
It also indicated that the attack on Friday night targeted civilian factories, adding that “nearby residential buildings were damaged, and civilians were wounded, including 6 children.”
--It also made it clear that it shot down a Su-24 fighter plane that was carrying these missiles, and a MiG-29 warplane.
On Thursday, the British government announced its intention to send Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine.
Thus, Britain would be the first country to provide Kiev with long-range weapons, in a move that Russia considered “extremely hostile on the part of London.”
This missile is launched from the air and is “designed to meet the demanding requirements of pre-planned attacks against fixed, high-value targets,” according to the manufacturer.
