After Russian President Vladimir Putin warned London against supplying Ukraine with ammunition containing depleted uranium, the British Ministry of Defense considered that Russia was “deliberately trying to mislead information”.
Former British Army tank commander and chemical weapons expert Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon said Putin’s comments were “disinformation”.
He also confirmed a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense that “the British army has used depleted uranium in armor-piercing missiles for decades.”
Its impact on health is low
He pointed out that it is a component that has nothing to do with weapons or nuclear capabilities, pointing out that Moscow “is fully aware of this, but it is deliberately trying to mislead information.” He added that it was “ridiculous” to suggest that depleted uranium bombs were linked in any way to nuclear weapons that use enriched uranium.
In addition, he stressed that the shells used by the “Challenger 2” tanks contain only trace elements of depleted uranium.
He also explained that “independent research conducted by several scientists from groups such as the Royal Society concluded that the impact of the use of depleted uranium munitions on health and the environment is low,” according to what was reported by local media on Wednesday.
(expressive from iStock)
It is noteworthy that depleted uranium is usually used in ammunition designed to penetrate armor, because it becomes sharper upon collision with the target, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. It is also “less radioactive than natural uranium”.
Yesterday, the Russian president threatened that his country would be “forced to respond” if the United Kingdom sent missiles made of depleted uranium to Ukraine, accusing the West of deploying weapons carrying “nuclear components”.
