The UK has covertly delivered Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine prior to lifting policy restrictions on targeting Russian territory.

Sir Keir Starmer has not confirmed that the UK is supplying the precision weapons - but they are understood to have been used by Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia last week.

Ukraine launched British-French-made Storm Shadow missiles at targets inside Russia for the first time on Wednesday, according to a Russian military blog and Reuters, a day after Ukraine fired US-made ATACMS missiles into Russia.

Russian air defence forces have shot down two British Storm Shadow cruise missiles, Russia's Defence Ministry said on Thursday in its daily report on events over the past 24 hours.

The first use of British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles inside Russia marks a turning point in Western resolve to help Ukraine. Whether a decisive intervention or too little, too late, it says a number of things about the state of the war. First, it marks a welcome return to seriousness.

Russia's military says it shot down two British-made Storm Shadow missiles, doesn't say where or when

Ukraine has fired UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles at Russian targets for the first time, the BBC understands. The war-torn country was previously restricted to using the long-range missiles within its own borders.

Long-range British Storm Shadow missiles have reportedly been fired into Russia by Ukraine for the first time. The weapons were fired into the Kursk region on Wednesday morning, it is believed.

The UK government recently supplied Ukraine with dozens more Storm Shadow cruise missiles, according to people familiar with the matter, a first under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has pledged continued support for the country’s war against Russia.