Washington has announced that they will send the controversial depleted uranium munitions to Ukraine in a further round of military assistance.
Depleted uranium is a by-product of uranium enrichment which is used for ammunition because of its extreme density, it is also radioactive, but a lot less that natural uranium which can linger for a period of time.
The density provides the rounds with the ability to easily penetrate armor plating and self-ignite in a searing cloud of dust and metal killing everyone inside a tank.
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The US State Department said in a statement, “The rounds, which could help destroy Russian tanks, are part of a new military aid package for Ukraine set to be unveiled in the next week.
“The munitions can be fired from U.S. Abrams tanks that, according to a person familiar with the matter, are expected be delivered to Ukraine in the coming weeks.
“One of the officials said that the coming aid package will be worth between $240 million and $375 million depending on what is included.”
In April 2023 the UK provided Ukraine with several thousands of depleted uranium Hesh rounds for the Challenger 2 tanks.
The then British Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace sent a large shipment of depleted uranium high-explosive squash head shells which are known as Hesh rounds in the military which are used on the Challenger 2 main battle tank.
Earlier this year the UK donated a squadron of the Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine and supplied the Hesh rounds that are amoured piercing munitions, which sparked anger in Moscow.
Following Wallace’s resignation last week, Maria Zakharova, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman said on Thursday, “Let’s say goodbye to the character responsible for the contamination of Ukrainian lands with radiation through the supply of shells with depleted uranium to the Kyiv regime.”
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