Russia reacts to UK sharing Storm Shadow blueprints with Ukraine

The Kremlin condemned Britain's decision to share classified technical information on Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles with Ukraine, calling the move "fuel on the fire," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Aug. 24.

Moscow views the decision "extremely negatively," Peskov said, accusing Britain of trying to prevent progress toward a negotiated settlement.

Peskov also claimed Russian forces were already gathering information on potential production sites for the missiles and other military equipment in order to target them.

London has agreed to let European defense company MBDA share classified technical information on British-made components in SCALP cruise missiles with Ukraine, a move that could help Kyiv expand domestic production of the weapons, the U.K. government said on Aug. 24. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is expected to formally announce the decision during his first visit to Kyiv since taking office.

The move builds on the U.K.'s 2023 decision to become the first country to provide Ukraine with long-range strike weapons for defensive purposes. It will pave the way for French-Ukrainian assembly of the missiles in Ukraine, while access to the blueprints could bring Kyiv and Paris closer to establishing local production lines, the statement read.

British Defense Minister Luke Pollard described the move as a transfer of military blueprints intended to help Ukraine strengthen its ability to defend itself.

SCALP is the French version of the British Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missile. The weapon weighs around 1,300 kilograms, measures about 5.1 meters (16.7 feet) in length, and has a range of up to 250 kilometers (155 miles).

The missile is designed to strike pre-planned, stationary targets and can operate during the day or at night and in adverse weather conditions, according to manufacturer MBDA. It uses advanced navigation systems to carry out precision strikes.

Ukraine has previously used French-provided SCALP and British Storm Shadow missiles against Russian military targets and facilities in occupied Ukrainian territories, including Crimea.

The transfer of technical information comes after months of negotiations between Kyiv and Paris over licenses that could allow Ukraine to manufacture SCALP missiles itself.

Then-Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in June that Ukraine had made "progress" in discussions with France over SCALP production licenses following talks between President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Fedorov cautioned that the process remained complicated because of intellectual property rights and the bureaucracy involved in opening production, but said discussions over SCALP had advanced further than talks over some other Western weapons.

Zelensky has repeatedly pushed Ukraine's partners to provide licenses allowing Western weapons to be manufactured in Ukraine, including U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems.

Ukraine has not yet received permission to manufacture Patriot systems domestically, though Zelensky said in June that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration planned to raise the possibility of licensing production with American defense companies.

The issue has become more pressing as demand for air defense and long-range weapons has increased globally. Pollard said there remained "huge demand" for Patriot systems amid the conflict in the Middle East, adding that Britain was also supporting Ukraine with other air-defense and counter-drone capabilities.

G7 leaders also said earlier this year that they were prepared to consider extending military-production licenses to Ukraine.