OR Ukraine fired long-range British Storm Shadow missiles into Russian territoryBloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing an unnamed official.

The strikes using Storm Shadow missiles were authorized in response to Russia deploying North Korean troops in its war against Ukraine, a move by Moscow that the British government saw as an escalation of the conflict, Bloomberg’s source said.

According to information from the Telegraph, residents of the village of Marino, in Kursk, found fragments of a Storm Shadow missile on Wednesday. The use of the Storm Shadow missiles comes after the start of a Russian counter-offensive in Kursk, which was invaded by Ukrainian troops in August.

The Daily Telegraph also reported on Wednesday afternoon that there are indications that the Ukrainian armed forces have for the first time used a British long-range Storm Shadow missile against a target inside Russian territory. The British newspaper cites photos posted online by Russian military bloggers that appear to show fragments of a Storm Shadow being displayed by residents of the village of Marino, in Russia’s Kursk province. According to those posts, the missile was fired sometime this afternoon.

Wreckage from the Storm Shadow was found in Russia’s Kursk region and two missiles were intercepted over Yeisk, a Black Sea port in the southern Krasnodar region, according to Telegram’s Rybar channel, which has links to the military and more than 1.3 millions of subscribers. However, this information could not be independently verified, Bloomberg emphasizes.

The Daily Mail adds that Russian channels are talking about the launch of 12 Storm Shadow missiles from Ukraine against Russian territory.

It is reminded in the meantime that yesterday Ukraine launched American ATACMS missiles in its Bryansk region of Russia. According to yesterday’s announcement by the Russian Ministry of Defense, six ATACMS missiles hit the territory of the Bryansk region, of which 5 were shot down by the Pantsir system and another was damaged. “The fragments of the missile fell on the ground of a military installation in the Bryansk region, causing a fire, which was immediately extinguished. There were no casualties or damage.”noted the ministry.

The British government has refused to confirm whether it has given the green light to Kiev to strike targets inside Russian territory with the Storm Shadow, following approval from Washington. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his office would not comment on reports or operational matters, Reuters reported, about Kiev’s use of Storm Shadow missiles.

Britain has previously said Ukraine could use Storm Shadow cruise missiles inside Ukrainian territory, but the government has been pressing the US for permission to allow them to be used to attack targets inside Russia for several months.

US President Joe Biden reversed US policy by allowing Ukraine to use US-made weapons to strike targets deep inside Russia this week.