The UK has quietly delivered a new batch of Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine, according to Bloomberg. The resupply was timed ahead of winter, with British officials fearing Russia will escalate attacks on Ukrainian civilians in the coming months.

UK sends more Storm Shadows without announcing how many

People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that the UK government recently provided Ukraine with additional Storm Shadow missiles. The exact number of missiles remains undisclosed, and the delivery was not publicly announced. Officials described the move as a precaution, aimed at ensuring Ukraine’s long-range capabilities are maintained through winter, when the Kremlin may intensify its assault on civilian infrastructure.

Storm Shadows are British-made, air-launched cruise missiles with a range of over 250 kilometers. They use inertial and terrain-reference navigation combined with GPS and are designed to fly low and fast, making them difficult to intercept. The UK does not regularly confirm how many Storm Shadows it has provided to Ukraine.

Storm Shadow strikes inside Russia resumed recently

In October, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said Storm Shadow missiles were used in a large-scale strike that successfully penetrated Russian air defenses and hit a chemical plant inside Russia. That was the first confirmed use of the missile inside Russian territory since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January.

Ukraine first launched Storm Shadows into Russia in November last year, just a day after it used US-provided ATACMS missiles for the first time. The British weapons require US targeting data to reach their full potential.