Ukraine live ticker: Russia angered by British plans for uranium munitions

Russia has expressed anger at British plans to supply more powerful depleted uranium ammunition to beleaguered Ukraine. “I would like to note that if all of this happens, Russia will be forced to respond accordingly,” Putin said Tuesday after a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Moscow. Also Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu threatened: “Of course Russia has an answer ready.”

On Monday, the British government announced that it would also supply Ukraine with ammunition in addition to the Challenger 2 main battle tanks it had already promised. This includes armor-piercing depleted uranium ammunition, said Secretary of Defense Annabel Goldie in response to a question in the House of Lords. “Such shells are very effective in defeating modern tanks and armored vehicles,” Goldie pointed out. Putin claimed they were “weapons with a nuclear component.”

Uranium is a radioactive metal. Due to its higher density than steel or lead, depleted uranium has a higher penetrating power. The projectiles were used in the wars in Iraq, Serbia and Kosovo, for example. According to a 2010 opinion of the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER). “No evidence of environmental or health risks from depleted uranium: The radiation exposure from depleted uranium is very low compared to the naturally occurring radiation.” From the Iraq, however, there were also media reports about deformities, which have been traced back to ammunition previously used in the war. According to experts, Russia also has uranium ammunition.

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