Britain’s Storm Shadow missiles blamed for Luhansk strikes far behind Russian lines

Russian-installed officials in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk on Friday accused Kyiv of firing missiles at an industrial complex in the region’s main city, around 100 km (60 miles) behind the frontlines. Because the city lies far away from Ukrainian positions, the alleged strikes sparked speculation among analysts that Ukraine could have used a new missile with a longer range. Luhansk’s position beyond the frontlines is potential evidence that Ukraine now has access to longer-distance weaponry. Earlier this week, the UK sent a batch of long-distance missiles to Ukraine. The Storm Shadow cruise missile has a range of over 250km (155 miles), according to the manufacturer. Leonid Pasechnik, the Russian-installed head of the region, which Russia proclaims as its territory, said the attack was carried out to disrupt the region’s local Republic Day celebrations. Reuters was unable to verify the claims. There was no immediate official reaction from Kyiv to the claimed strikes. Subscribe to The Telegraph with our special offer: just £1 for 3 months. Start your free trial now: Get the latest headlines: and are websites of The Telegraph, the UK’s best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture. #Luhansk #Ukraine #StormShadow