EYE OF THE STORM
Watch dramatic moment ‘Brit-supplied Storm Shadow missile blitzes target in Russia for first time’ after ATACMS strike
It comes after furious Putin signed a new doctrine to lower the bar for launching a retaliatory nuclear strike
THIS is the dramatic moment Ukraine reportedly fired British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles into Russia for the first time.
Unconfirmed footage shows a resident in the region of Kursk pointing at the sky before loud booms are heard in the background.
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Fragments of the bunker-busting rockets were found in the village of Marine, Kursk, on Wednesday, it is understood.
Up to 12 missiles were launched by a Ukrainian aircraft, according to reports.
Britain's Storm Shadow missiles are a nightmare for enemies as they are capable of dodging air defences.
The £800,000 weapons - which were already being fired within Ukraine - use GPS to precisely hit targets, and can travel at 600mph.
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A clip shared online recorded the sound of several missiles flying toward the Kursk region.
The governor of the region had said earlier that two missiles had been shot down, without specifying their type.
The footage is believed to show the missiles near to an underground Russian command centre, say Ukrainian news site .
They also claim that there is a high likelihood of North Korean troops being inside the hidden bunker.
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Reports tonight indicate that Ukraine may have used UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to target a Russian presidential facility in the Kursk region.
This site reportedly features an “underground control room” where Russian military leaders and North Korean commanders were believed to be stationed.
First footage shows long-range US ATACMS missiles fired by Ukraine into Russia
According to Defence Express, the deployment of such a significant number of Storm Shadow or SCALP missiles suggests that high-ranking Russian and North Korean military officials were likely present at the facility.
Evidence from missile debris reportedly points to the use of the UK-supplied variant of the Storm Shadow missiles rather than the French SCALP.
Russian sources have acknowledged that Ukraine has escalated its missile use, deploying both ATACMS ballistic missiles and Storm Shadow cruise missiles against targets on Russian territory.
Video footage from Maryino village in the Kursk region captured the aftermath of the strike, featuring around 15 explosions.
While some of these may be attributed to air defence systems, the main target appears to have been a military facility near the historic Baryatinsky estate, which now functions as a sanatorium under the Russian Presidential Administration.
Reports suggest the strike likely targeted a significant military installation, potentially an underground command post used by Russian forces and possibly North Korean generals operating in the region.
Such a target would justify the use of Storm Shadow missiles, which are specifically designed to strike fortified and high-value sites.
These missiles feature a 450-kg BROACH warhead, capable of penetrating hardened structures by using a two-stage detonation process.
While the exact nature of the targeted facility remains speculative, it aligns with previous Ukrainian strikes on similar military command sites, such as the reserve command post of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
Observers await official confirmation of the operation’s details and objectives, though early reports highlight its strategic significance and the growing Ukrainian capability to strike within Russian territory.
It comes just 36 hours after Ukraine blitzed a Russian military depot with ATACMS after Joe Biden gave his blessing for the US-supplied rockets to be used.
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Sir Keir Starmer then yesterday hinted Ukraine would be able to use Storm Shadows as he rebuffed the Kremlin’s scare tactics.
Asked about letting Ukraine use UK-made Storm Shadow missiles, the PM said: “I’ve been doubling down in my clear message that we need to ensure Ukraine has what is needed for as long as needed to win this war against Putin.
“I am not going to go into operational details. You would not expect me to. The only winner in that would be Putin and it would undermine Ukraine.
"The single simplest way to end this conflict is for Russia to stop the aggression and to stop it today. We are on day 1,000 of that aggression.”
Defence analyst and former director of the Royal United Services Institute Michael Clarke says allowing Ukraine to use the specialised missiles will help to "reverse the tide" of the war.
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It will allow for the brave Ukrainians to directly target Putin's supply bases.
While also hitting ammunition dumps and support lines both behind the front lines and on it in Kursk.
He told Times Radio: "These will help to turn that tide and may even have some effect on pushing Russian forces back depending on where they're used and how many are used."
Western leaders had previously shunned Ukrainian leader Zelensky’s pleas to use long-range weapons to turn the war with Vladimir Putin.
Vlad previously warned before any such decision would drag Nato into direct conflict with Russia.
After Biden gave the green light on Sunday, the UK was tipped to follow suit and allow Storm Shadows to be used.
Residents in Kursk have today found fragments from rockets in the embattled region.
Putin has bolstered his defences in the region with 10,000 troops from North Korea as the humiliated tyrant attempts to claw back the territory from Ukrainian forces.
On Tuesday, Kyiv's forces used US-supplied ATACMS missiles to strike a military facility in Bryansk.
The blast came shortly after furious Vlad signed a new doctrine to lower the bar for launching a nuclear strike.
Moscow has warned it would "react accordingly" if US-supplied weapons were used to strike Russian territory.
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Putin has repeatedly vowed his troops would unleash revenge if Ukraine blasted inside Russia with Western-made weapons.
In September, he said it would "mean that Nato countries are at war with Russia".
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