The announcement made a splash. Upon his arrival at the NATO summit in Vilnius, President Emmanuel Macron announced, Tuesday, July 11, the delivery to Ukraine of long-range missiles called Scalp. "A strong gesture," said Guillaume Lasconjarias, professor at Paris-Sorbonne, military historian and former NATO researcher, interviewed on France 24. "The France gives the Ukrainian air force an ability to align itself and accompany the counter-offensive a little more deeply.

This cruise missile launched from a fighter jet was developed jointly by the France and the United Kingdom, which since May has been supplying Ukraine with its own version of the Scalp, the Storm Shadow. With a range of more than 250 kilometers, it allows Kiev to reach Russian-controlled areas in the east of the country. A French military source told AFP that the Scalps were already on the ground.

From political risk to stealth asset

Until now, NATO member countries, including France, have considered long-range weapons to represent a "political risk," according to Swiss military expert Alexandre Vautravers. "This type of weaponry was questionable insofar as the Ukrainians could have used it to bomb critical infrastructure located on Russian territory," he said. "The Westerners thought that if the Ukrainians succeed in targeting an air base, then they can target a hydroelectric dam, a nuclear power plant, even Red Square."

But today, the long range is viewed differently. The Scalp missile is equipped with "standoff" capabilities – that is to say shots made from a safe distance – so it cannot be dropped from the front line. "We must not imagine that these weapons will hit a civilian infrastructure 250 kilometers inside Russian territory," the expert said. "In addition, the Russian air defense system is so powerful that Ukrainian aircraft are forced to drop their weapons 100 kilometers behind the front."

Enough to allow the Ukrainians to continue their counter-offensive. "This is essential for Ukrainian forces to disrupt Russian logistics and command and control," Ivan Klyszcz, a researcher at the International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS) in Estonia, told AFP. This capability will feed the "current approach" of Ukrainian forces, which are trying "to move slowly to protect their forces and reduce their losses as much as possible".

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The Scalp being stealthy and extremely accurate, it can target bunkers or infrastructure behind the Russian line. It is also difficult to detect – the probability of the missile hitting its target is very high.

Regarding these missiles, Ukraine has provided "guarantees of use within its internationally recognized borders," according to Paris. On the right and far right of the political spectrum in France, however, these guarantees were deemed insufficient.

Bringing Russia to the negotiating table

Long criticized for maintaining good relations with Vladimir Putin in the hope of a quick end to the conflict, Emmanuel Macron has made a notable strategic change since the end of 2022. The French president's signs of support for Kiev have continued to grow. For Alexandre Vautravers, "there are therefore no surprises in Emmanuel Macron's announcement."

The delivery of these missiles is also not a first. The British are already supplying Ukraine with their Storm Shadow, and the Russians have already announced that they have captured one without destroying it. This technology is now in the hands of Russian engineers who aspire to copy it. For the military expert, it is above all an announcement effect. "The France is under pressure, like many other countries. It is in a kind of speed race of who can help Ukraine the most."

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NATO meets in Vilnius: Emmanuel Macron announces delivery of new "Scalp" missiles to Ukraine © FRANCE 24

According to Jean-Pierre Maulny, deputy director of IRIS, the goal behind sending long-range missiles is to bring Russia to the negotiating table. "The West wants to give all the means to Zelensky so that the Ukrainian counter-offensive succeeds," he commented on the set of France 24. "They want to show Putin that this aid will be sustained, that they will be an unwavering supporter, and therefore that Putin cannot win this war."

The French army's Scalp stocks are estimated at around 400, or a little less, according to different sources. The unit price is 850,000 euros, according to the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri). The number of missiles delivered to Ukraine has not been specified, but Paris speaks of a significant amount that would preserve the stocks necessary for French defense.

For its part, the Kremlin denounced a "mistake" and said that Russia would have to take "countermeasures" in the conflict in Ukraine.

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