Russian separatists in occupied Ukraine said they have been struck by the first of the UK's deadly Storm Shadow cruise missiles.
Ukraine's forces have reportedly used two of the UK-supplied Shadow Storm cruise missiles in an attack on its occupied eastern territories, the Kremlin-backed Luhansk People's Republic said.
This would be the first time that Ukraine's military has used the British long-range cruise missiles, which UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace earlier this week confirmed to the House of Commons would be supplied to Kyiv.
One strike reportedly hit a building plant used as a supply point and repair base by Russian armed forces. A second was said to have hit a former government building now used as a Russian barracks. There were casualties, reports said.
A fanatical pro-Putin politician was said to be wounded in the strike. Footage showed him bloodied as he was led in shock from the ruins.
The Russian separatist Luhansk People's Republic said in a statement released on their Telegram channel: 'According to updated information, on May 12, 2023, during a missile attack on the city of Lugansk the Ukrainian armed forces used two Storm Shadow cruise missiles (produced by the UK and France) and one ADM-160B MALD missile (produced by the US).'
The Ukraine military has not yet confirmed if they conducted strikes using the Storm Shadow missiles.
The missiles, jointly developed by the UK and France, has a firing range of more than 155 miles (250km) which means Kyiv would be able to strike deep into Russian-held territory in eastern Ukraine where the fiercest battles are ongoing.
One alleged Storm Shadow missile hit the former academy of the internal affairs ministry in Luhansk yesterday, now used as a barracks, reports said.
The second target in the strike was the former Polipak Machine Building Plant 100, reportedly used as a supply point and repair base by the Russian armed forces.
Smoke was seen pouring from a ruined building.
The head of the annexed Luhansk People's Republic [LPR], Putin-appointee Leonid Pasechnik, reported that six children were injured.
The supply of the Storm Shadow missiles by Britain was announced this week by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, and welcomed by Ukraine.
The missiles, which cost about £2.2million, will allow Ukraine to hit Russian troops and logistics hubs deep behind the front line in a major blow to Vladimir Putin.
Britain had received assurances from the Ukrainian government that these missiles would be used only within Ukrainian sovereign territory and not inside Russia, multiple senior Western officials said.
Ukraine has been asking for months for long-range missiles, but support provided by Britain and other allies such as the United States has previously been limited to shorter range weapons.
Following reports of the missile deal, Russia threatened Britain, saying it would require 'an adequate response from our military'.
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