The head of defense against radiation, chemical and biological products of the Russian armed forces, Igor Kirillov, warned on Friday that the use of depleted uranium ammunition by the Ukrainian armed forces will cause “irreparable damage” to the health of its own troops.
Russian authorities have criticized Ukraine’s allies, especially the United Kingdom, for proposing to supply this type of weapon to Ukrainian troops.
“Despite the fact that the use of such munitions will cause irreparable damage to the health of the armed forces of Ukraine and the civilian population, NATO countries, in particular the United Kingdom, declare their readiness to supply these types of weapons to the regime of Ukraine.”reproached the Russian high command.
Igor Kirillov alluded to international documents recognizing the negative impact of this type of munitions on human health and the environment, as well as a US study showing that “there are no technologies to reduce the toxicity of depleted uranium” and that cleaning up the affected areas is “extremely difficult”.
Later, the Russian ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, complained that after the announcement in London, “it will be difficult for the British to deviate from this path, if not impossible”.
The British government acknowledged earlier this week that it planned to supply depleted uranium munitions to Ukraine’s armed forces, drawing criticism from the Russians, who even warned of a possible escalation of the conflict in Eastern Europe.
London, however, defended the decision, arguing that this type of munitions has nothing to do with nuclear weapons and claimed that it has not been shown to have a negative impact on people’s lives or the environment, a point that Moscow rejects and even urged the British authorities to test. said ammunition on British soil.
Source: DN
