Ukrainian chronicle: Depleted uranium anti-tank shells have already arrived to Ukraine

14:20 23.03.2023 • Vladimir Kozin , Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Military Sciences

On March 21, UK Minister of State for Defense Annabel Goldie stated that London would provide Kiev with armor piercing shells for its Challenger 2 main battle tanks, including Depleted uranium (DU) ammunition.

"I would like to note in this regard that if all this happens, then Russia will be forced to react accordingly – I mean that the Collective West is already starting to use weapons with a nuclear component," Vladimir Putin declared during presence of Chairman Xi Jinping on March 21 in Moscow.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu also made very critical remarks on this matter. The use of munitions with depleted uranium will dramatically reduce Ukrainian capabilities of producing high quality food, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the press conference in Moscow.

"All conversations that they see the well-being of Ukraine in the future end with their statements about their intention to supply depleted uranium shells," Russian MFA official spokesperson said, adding that the use of depleted uranium projectiles is actually an act of genocide against the population that such weapons are used on.

Russian academic community advocated to bomb railroads and highways on the Western part of Ukraine that might be used to deliver such shells with DU from the UK. Some of the experts proposed to sever diplomatic relations with London. They claim that one antitank shell fitted with DU can contaminate one hectare of land with water and vegetation.

"The UK government is sending depleted uranium shells for use in the Challenger 2 tanks gifted to Ukraine, a move CND has condemned as an additional environmental and health disaster for those living through the conflict," the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament said on March 21.

In his research paper named “Uranium weapons being employed in Ukraine have significantly increased Uranium levels in the air in the UK” (March 2023) Christopher Busby, Environmental Research SIA, said that: “Uranium levels in all the onsite and offsite High Volume Air Samplers deployed by the Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston, UK increased significantly in the period beginning with the start of the Ukraine War. This supports the belief that Uranium weapons are being deployed in the theatre and that the fallout of Uranium nanoparticles, has contaminated Europe and the United Kingdom.”

 

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