Macron followed Britain into sending French Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Sunday. Photo: PLANETPIX/ALEMI

France will follow the UK's lead and supply longer-range missiles to Ukraine days after British Storm Shadow munitions were used to destroy Russian troops behind the front line.

So far, France placed Caesar. self-propelled howitzers, Milan anti-tank missiles and Mistral anti-aircraft missiles, as well as light armored vehicles known as AMX-10 RC.

But he stopped short of longer-range missiles that would allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory.

However, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed: “We decided to send, in addition, new ammunition, new missiles, the range of which allows Ukraine to resist and lead this (coming) counteroffensive.”

Britain announced last week that it had donated long-range cruise missiles to Kiev that could strike Crimea and attack the critical bridge connecting Russia to mainland Ukraine.

Precision weapons will push back Russian forces.

Storm Shadow missiles launched from warplanes, carrying large warheads designed to destroy hardened and even buried targets.

The high-precision weapons, worth around £2.2 million each, will allow Ukraine to «push back Russian forces based on sovereign Ukrainian territory,» said the Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace in the House of Commons last week.

How the Storm Shadow missile works

The French equivalent is SCALP-EG, which stands for Long Range Autonomous Cruise Missile – General Purpose.

Announcing the new missiles, Mr Macron added: “We are not supplying weapons that can reach Russia . Sometimes we have to impose restrictions.”

Analysts have suggested that this may mean that the French asked the Ukrainians for assurances that longer-range missiles will not be used to hit Russian territory.

France is open to training Ukrainian fighter pilots

Mr. Macron also confirmed that France is open to training Ukrainian fighter pilots in France and that these training programs can start right now.

Responding to a question about the supply of military aircraft to Ukraine, Mr Macron said he had not discussed it with Vladimir. Zelensky, President of Ukraine, during his visit to France this weekend.

"I didn't talk about planes. I was talking about missiles. I was talking about workouts" He said. Answering a question about the training of Ukrainian pilots on French combat aircraft, he said: “There are no taboos.”

“We opened the doors for pilot training together with other European countries that are ready to do it. I believe negotiations are underway with the Americans.»

He added that France's strategy remains to «help Ukraine resist in order to sit down at the negotiating table.»

Storm Shadow cruise missile

Storm Shadow Cruise missiles rockets were fired for the first time by Ukrainian forces over the weekend, hitting a Russian supply depot and military command center 80 miles from the front line. a week on Russian positions around Bakhmut.

A factory used to store military equipment and a government building used to plan Russian attacks were destroyed in Lugansk by Storm Shadow rocket attacks on Friday and Saturday, according to reports local media.

The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the attacks, but said the missiles hit residential buildings.