France supplies long-range Scalp missiles to Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday, the first day of the NATO summit, that France would supply long-range Scalp-type missiles to Ukraine. “We have decided to provide Ukraine with new missiles capable of deep hits,” Macron said upon arrival at the summit site in Vilnius, Lithuania. “I think today it is important for us to send a message of support for Ukraine, unity of NATO and determination that Russia cannot and must not win this war,” he added.
The Storm Shadow cruise missile, jointly developed by Britain and France, dubbed Scalp by the French military, is launched from the air. The range is more than 250 kilometers, more than any other weapon Western countries have supplied to Kiev. Due to their long range, these missiles are capable of reaching areas in eastern Ukraine controlled by Russian forces.
Paris will follow London in its decision to provide guided air-to-surface missiles to hit fixed targets at long range. France has so far ruled out this possibility because using the missiles on Russian territory is risky. The delivery of the Scalp missiles will be “preserving the clarity and coherence of our doctrine, i.
According to the specialist journal Defense and International Security, there are “fewer than 400” in France.