UK reaffirms commitment to nuclear weapons

  

A Trident missile being fired.

By Lisa West

DEFENSE JOURNAL
- November 26, 2024

During a recent House of Lords debate, Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle raised questions about the continued investment in Britain’s nuclear weapons programme.

Referencing a Financial Times article by Philip Stephens, she asked whether the Government might reconsider its stance, given the high costs and reliance on the United States.

“Should those difficult decisions—or at least, difficult considerations—not include giving serious consideration as to whether we should continue a nuclear weapons programme?” she queried.

U.K. sent Ukraine dozens of Storm Shadow missiles several weeks ago, before long-range strikes on Russian territory approved — Bloomberg

November 26, 2024
Source: Bloomberg

The U.K. sent dozens of long-range Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine several weeks ago, Bloomberg reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The delivery, which wasn’t publicly announced, marks the first shipment of these missiles under Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

According to Bloomberg’s sources, the missiles were sent before Washington and London authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles against targets on Russian territory. The sources did not specify when the missiles arrived in Ukraine or how many were supplied.

Earlier this month, The Guardian reported that the U.K. hadn’t supplied Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles for some time. Sources cited by The Times suggested the pause may have been due to low stock levels.

Ukraine’s Armed Forces reportedly used British Storm Shadow missiles to strike Russian territory for the first time on November 20.