 The United Kingdom has supplied Ukraine with multiple storm-shadow cruise missiles, giving Ukrainian forces a new long-range strike capability in advance of a highly-anticipated counter-offensive against Russian forces, multiple senior Western officials told the CNA. Ukraine has long pleaded with Western nations for longer-range missiles, arguing that such weapons could change the course of the war by allowing its forces to target Russian command centers, supply lines, ammunition and fuel dumps deep inside Crimea and Russian-held territory in eastern Ukraine. As Kiev prepares to launch a major counter-offensive as soon as within the next several weeks, the ability to strike far behind Russia's front lines would help clear for a ground assault with tanks and infantry troops. The storm-shadow is a long-range cruise missile with stealth capabilities, jointly developed by the UK and France, which is typically launched from the air, with a firing range in access of 250 km. A Western official told the CNA that the UK has received assurances from the Ukrainian government that these missiles will be used only within Ukrainian sovereign territory and not inside Russia.