UK gov't agrees to publicly confirm Ukrainian use of British weapons in Kursk Oblast – Sunday Times
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Defense Secretary John Healey decided to be open about Ukraine's use of British weapons on Russian soil, The Sunday Times writes with reference to sources in the country's government.
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This is not so much a change of policy as a tone correction, aimed at more transparently highlighting the role of Britain in supporting Ukraine.
London, in particular, quickly confirmed the use of Challenger 2 tanks by the Ukrainian military in Kursk Oblast. It is also known that the Defense Forces use British drones, although their type is not disclosed, the journalists note.
A source in the government stated that Britain will not shy away from recognizing the fact of the use of its weapons in Russia as part of the defense of Ukraine.
"We don’t want any uncertainty or nervousness over Britain’s support at this critical moment and a half-hearted or uncertain response might have indicated that," the source said.
On August 15, 2024, the British Ministry of Defense stated that Ukraine can use weapons received from the country in operations on the territory of Russia, but restrictions on the use of long-range Storm Shadow missiles remain.
On August 17, The Times wrote that the United States is effectively preventing Ukraine from using British long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike Russian territory because of President Joe Biden's fears about a possible escalation of the conflict.
Read also: Starmer instructs to develop plan to increase aid to Ukraine – The Sunday Times
