Estimated reading time 2 minutes 2 Min

Russia blasts UK move to send ammo with depleted uranium to Ukraine

Russia on Tuesday condemned British plans to send ammunition that contains depleted uranium to Ukraine, a move Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said left fewer and fewer steps before a potential “nuclear collision” between Russia and the West.

March 22, 2023
22 March 2023

March 21 (Reuters) –

Russia on Tuesday condemned British plans to send ammunition that contains depleted uranium to Ukraine, a move Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said left fewer and fewer steps before a potential “nuclear collision” between Russia and the West.

Speaking in London on Monday, Minister of State for Defence Annabel Goldie said some of the ammunition for the Challenger 2 battle tanks that Britain is sending to Ukraine includes armour piercing rounds which contain depleted uranium.

“Another step has been taken, and there are fewer and fewer left,” Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told reporters in remarks cited by domestic agencies.

Asked whether this meant that the world was closer to a nuclear collision, he replied: “It was not by chance that I told you about steps. There are fewer and fewer.”

Depleted uranium is used in weapons because it can penetrate tanks and armour more easily due to its density and other physical properties, a point that Goldie made.

It is a particular health risk around impact sites, where dust can get into people’s lungs and vital organs.

“Naturally, Russia has something to answer this with,” Shoigu told reporters when asked about the ammunition.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the plan the “Yugoslavia scenario”, saying the ammunition caused cancer and infected the environment. (Reporting by Reuters, Editing by Timothy Heritage, David Ljunggren and Jonathan Oatis)

More in Top Stories
Biden says debt deal 'very close'
Ukraine asks Germany for long-range missiles
Verstappen takes pole in Monaco
Pope Francis resumes regular appointments
Russia Putin Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly warned Russia will use all means to defend itself.
Don't lecture us on nuclear deployment
Turkey Election Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at a campaign rally in Istanbul ahead of Sunday's vote
Turks to vote as Erdogan positioned to extend rule
Mass protests against Israeli government enter 21st week
Ukraine claims Russia is plotting 'a provocation' at nuclear plant, offers no evidence
Man who opened emergency door on flight felt suffocated
Ukraine drones target Russia oil pipeline installations
'Anatomy of a Fall' wins top Cannes gong .French director Justine Triet won the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or
'Anatomy of a Fall' top wins prize at Cannes
UN 'shocked' by demands to remove envoy
Hong Kong democrats disband party amid China clampdown
As Elizabeth Holmes heads to prison for fraud, questions remain about her motives
Avalanche in northern Pakistan kills 11
Texas' GOP-held House set for impeachment against Attorney General Ken Paxton
Former US diplomat Henry Kissinger celebrates 100th birthday, still active in global affairs
China 'clean-up' deletes 1.4 million social media posts
Hong Kong denies knowledge about Uyghur student
Serbian border troops to maintain highest state of alert after ethnic clashes inside Kosovo
Britain Immigration Frustrated inbound passengers are reporting lengthy waits at London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
Major delays as UK airports hit by border system issue
Council of Europe Ukraine Aleksandar Vucic's second and last term as Serbia's President will expire in 2027.
Serbian president offers to resign as ruling party head
Britain Downing Street Collision A man was arrested and later released after a car crashed into the gates of Downing Street.
Downing Street crash accused faces separate charge
Nepal Politics Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal will hold talks with Narendra Modi in India.
Nepalese PM Dahal to visit India for talks with Modi
US China The suspected Chinese agents are accused of plotting to get Falun Gong's tax exempt status revoked.
US arrests Chinese suspects over Falun Gong plot
Twitter Twitter appears to have withdrawn from an EU agreement to fight online disinformation.
Twitter abandons EU pact against disinformation
ITALY BOAT Under humanitarian laws, migrants cannot be forced back to countries where they'll be ill-treated.
Migrants trying to reach Europe taken back to Libya
Iraq announces plans for $17 billion transportation project linking Asia to Europe
Three dead in clash on Iran-Afghan border Three dead after a shooting provoked by water rights battles between Iran and Afghanistan.
At least three killed in clash on Iran-Afghan border
Thousands of exhausted South Sudanese head home, fleeing brutal conflict
At West Point, Vice President Harris to make history as first woman to deliver commencement speech
Threat to Queen Elizabeth during 1983 US trip - FBI
Putin tells Lula Russia is open to dialogue on Ukraine
Britain Tabloid Lawsuits Hugh Grant is suing Rupert Murdoch's UK newspaper group for alleged unlawful information gathering.
Grant can pursue hacking lawsuit against Murdoch paper
Brain implant company says it has US approval
Stocks rose on Wall Street, led by more gains in technology stocks
U.S. cities reporting fewer killings
Texas Attorney General, Trump ally facing impeachment
Latest GOP 2024 hopeful DeSantis 'blazing a trail' on book bans in Republican-controlled states
Cardinal blasts vendettas, 'plots against me' in Vatican financial trial
One dead, 15 wounded in clinic hit by Russian missiles
Yellen pushes back potential US default date to June 5
Disney opposes DeSantis request to disqualify judge in free speech lawsuit
UK's Treasury chief accepts that recession may be necessary to get inflation down
'Miscalculation' scuppers startup's failed moon landing
Sweden Russia Diplomats Expelled Foreign minister Tobias Billstrom says Sweden wants
Sweden wants to join NATO for summit: foreign minister
Funeral director pleads guilty to theft after decomposing bodies found
Mother of man who killed Gabby Petito said in letter she would help son 'dispose of a body'
Khan seeks talks amid Pakistan army stand-off
Oath Keeper gets eight years jail over US Capitol riots