UK to declassify missile technology for Ukraine as Moscow accuses Britain of ‘participating in the war’

Britain will allow the release of classified technology to enable Ukraine to manufacture a British-French-designed cruise missile, in a move aimed at strengthening Kyiv’s ability to strike targets hundreds of kilometres inside Russia.

France and Ukraine want to establish a Ukrainian production line for the SCALP air-launched cruise missile, known as Storm Shadow in the UK, by the end of the year. The declassification of information on British-made components, announced on Monday, is a key step towards that goal.

The decision comes as British Prime Minister Andy Burnham visits Kyiv on Ukraine’s Independence Day for his first overseas trip since taking office on 20 July. He is due to co-chair a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, a 34-nation alliance formed by Britain and France last year to support Ukraine as US assistance waned under the Trump administration.

Moscow reacted angrily to the announcement, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accusing Britain of directly participating in the war on Ukraine’s side.

“Britain is participating in this war. It is participating in this war on the side of the Kiev regime,” Peskov said at his Monday briefing.

He also accused London of deliberately undermining efforts towards a peaceful settlement.

“Britain methodically and regularly adds fuel to the fire [of the Ukrainian conflict]. And it methodically and regularly plots in order to prevent any development of the peaceful settlement process. This is exactly what the UK is doing,” Peskov said.

The Kremlin’s response follows a warning from the Russian embassy in London last week that the deeper Britain’s involvement in the war and the greater its support for Ukraine, the “higher the price it will pay”.

A long-range weapon for Ukraine’s deeper strikes

Manufactured by European arms company MBDA, the SCALP is a conventionally armed, long-range cruise missile designed for deep strikes. Ukraine has successfully used imported versions against hardened targets, including in November 2024, when the missiles were first fired at targets inside Russia.

The missile has a maximum range of 550 kilometres and can carry a 400-kilogram high-explosive penetrating warhead.

After launch, it uses a combination of internal, global positioning and terrain-reference navigation, together with an infrared seeker and automatic target-recognition algorithms, to achieve a high degree of accuracy in all weather conditions, according to the same source.

Ukraine launches SCALP/Storm Shadow missiles from its Su-24 and Mirage 2000 fighter jets. The missiles are designed to fly close to the terrain in an attempt to evade air defences.

Their particular value for Ukraine lies in their ability to strike buried military targets such as command bunkers, which are more difficult to reach with the lighter drones Kyiv has increasingly used against exposed targets including oil refineries and warehouses.

Britain and France have not disclosed how many SCALP/Storm Shadow missiles they have supplied to Ukraine. However, MBDA reactivated production lines in 2025 that had been shut down for 15 years.

“Supplied to Ukraine, the Franco-British SCALP/Storm Shadow missile has demonstrated its effectiveness in modern high-intensity combat, in decisive situations,” French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu said at the time.

The release of British technology does not mean Ukraine will immediately have a large-scale domestic missile industry. It could take several years for production to be scaled up.

Burnham pledges long-term support for Kyiv

Burnham said Britain’s commitment to Ukraine would continue despite threats from Moscow.

“Despite Russia’s outrageous threats to my country, we will continue our support for Ukraine’s defence,” he said ahead of a meeting of Ukraine’s international backers.

In a message marking Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of the restoration of independence, Burnham said Britain would remain a “loyal and reliable friend” of Kyiv and stressed that the change of government in London would not alter the country’s support.

“I want this to be a clear signal: Britain remains your most loyal and reliable friend,” Burnham said.

He pledged that the UK would provide Ukraine with €3.5 billion in military aid per year for as long as it is needed. He also referred to a commitment made at the Ankara Summit with NATO allies to provide €70 billion in military aid, arms and training to Ukraine this year, and the same amount next year.

“Rest assured, Putin takes these numbers as a clear signal: Ukraine’s friends are not going anywhere,” Burnham said in an article for European Pravda.

The British prime minister also stressed that Kyiv urgently needs support for air defence and energy infrastructure as Russia continues to launch missile and drone attacks.

“Every night, Russia continues to brutally bomb your land with drones and missiles,” he said, adding that preparations for the coming winter had already begun.

According to Burnham, Ukraine needs partners to mobilise resources from their stockpiles and budgets to provide air defence systems and support for the power system.

“The UK will be at the forefront of these efforts,” he said.

Burnham is also taking on the role of co-leader of the Coalition of the Willing alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

France steps up interceptor deliveries to Ukraine, filling gap left by U.S. hesitation

Sources: CNN, BBC, European Pravda, TASS

Caption: British Prime Minister Andy Burnham (L) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with British and Ukrainian troops aboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth at His Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth in Portsmouth, Britain, 27 July 2026. EPA/ANDY RAIN

• Andy Burnham
• cruise missiles

Updated: August 24, 2026 - 16:28