How Depleted Uranium Shells Will be Used by Ukraine Against Russia
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Challenger 2 main battle tank is displayed for the families watching The Royal Tank Regiment Regimental Parade, on September 24, 2022 in Bulford, England. Depleted uranium rounds are "highly effective in defeating modern tanks and armoured vehicles," British minister Annabel Goldie said.
"Highly effective" depleted uranium munitions provided by the UK will be used by Ukrainian forces against Russian tanks.
On Monday, British Minister of State for Defense, Annabel Goldie, said that the U.K. would provide Ukraine with some depleted uranium armor-piercing rounds for donated Challenger 2 main battle tanks. The U.K. pledged 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine back in January.
The depleted uranium rounds are "highly effective in defeating modern tanks and armoured vehicles," Goldie said.
But Russian President Vladimir Putin hit back at the promised munitions delivery, saying there was a "nuclear" element to which Russia was obliged to respond. Moscow has repeatedly threatened and alluded to the use of nuclear weapons over the course of the full-scale war in Ukraine.
"If all this happens, Russia will have to respond accordingly, given that the West collectively is already beginning to use weapons with a nuclear component," he said, during a summit with Chinese leader, Xi Jinping.
"Alongside our granting of a squadron of Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine we will be providing ammunition, including armor-piercing rounds which contain depleted uranium," a U.K. defense ministry spokesperson said. "Such rounds are highly effective in defeating modern tanks and armored vehicles."
Its armed forces have "used depleted uranium in its armor-piercing shells for decades" and it is a "standard component."
"Russia knows this, but is deliberately trying to disinform," the spokesperson added. Research has indicated that environmental and health risks from depleted uranium munitions is "likely to be low," the spokesperson said.
The U.K. government has previously said it would be "wrong to deny our armed forces a legitimate and effective capability," such as depleted uranium munitions, "that can help them achieve their objectives as quickly and safely as possible."
The heavy metal rounds are 70 percent more dense than lead and self-sharpen on impact with armor. They also allow forces to engage enemies at greater distances, the government evaluated.
Russian defense minister, Sergey Shoigu, said the use of the depleted uranium munitions brought "serious health conditions," in remarks reported by Russian state media.
The health and environmental implications of depleted uranium munitions attract mixed conclusions. The International Atomic Energy Agency said depleted uranium is "considerably less radioactive than natural uranium," and there is a risk of people developing cancer from exposure to radiation emitted by natural and depleted uranium.
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However, there is a "lack of evidence for a definite cancer risk in studies over many decades" for depleted uranium munitions, the agency said.
Other studies, including by the World Health Organization, said the health consequences come down to the nature of exposure to depleted uranium shells. A study by the British Medical Journal published in 2021 found there were "possible associations between exposure to depleted uranium and adverse health outcomes" for Iraqi citizens exposed to depleted uranium during the Gulf War and Iraq war.
The British defense ministry has been contacted for comment via email.
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