British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed that Italy had provided Ukraine with long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles, breaking months of silence on Italian armament supplies to Kyiv. Shapps announced while visiting the MBDA factory in the United Kingdom, which produces Storm Shadow missiles. Previously, Britain and France provided Ukraine with these missiles (French: SCALP-EG) to confront Russian forces in Crimea and elsewhere. “I think Storm Shadow is an incredible weapon,” Shapps told The Times of London. “The United Kingdom, France, and Italy deployed these weapons, particularly in Crimea. “These weapons make a very significant difference,” he said. The UK and France had previously acknowledged the transfer of Storm Shadows to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Italy refused to disclose information on the weapons sent to Ukraine and never reported the missile shipment.
When a Defence News reporter contacted an Italian defence ministry official on Monday about Shapps’ statements, she declined to comment.
Italy first ordered the Storm Shadow from European missile maker MBDA in 1999, and it has since received around 200 weapons. NATO employed the missile during its 2011 operations in Libya.
Despite popular resentment and opposition from some legislative groups, the Italian Parliament approved extending arms exports to Ukraine in January until 2024.
Until now, Italy’s right-wing government has kept the list of weapons packages for Ukraine secret despite reports that it intends to send Stinger surface-to-air missiles, mortars, Milan or Panzerfaust anti-tank guns, Browning heavy machine guns, MG-light machine guns, systems to counter explosive device assemblies, multiple launch rocket systems, howitzers, and PzH 2000 vehicles.
