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a year ago

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

Britain says it sending conventional munitions, not nuclear munitions
Britain says it sending conventional munitions, not nuclear munitions

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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday condemned British plans to send tank ammunition that contains depleted uranium to Ukraine, saying Moscow would be forced to respond accordingly.

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.

"If all this happens, Russian will have to respond accordingly, given that the West collectively is already beginning to use weapons with a nuclear component," Putin said in remarks after a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He did not elaborate.

Meanwhile, Britain's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on Wednesday there was no nuclear escalation in the Ukraine war after Russian President Vladimir Putin criticised Britain for supplying depleted uranium tank munitions to Ukrainian forces.

Cleverly said that Russia was the only country talking about mounting nuclear risks and the ammunition was conventional.

"There is no nuclear escalation. The only country in the world that is talking about nuclear issues is Russia. There is no threat to Russia, this is purely about helping Ukraine defend itself," Cleverly said at the launch of Britain's international technology strategy.

"It's worth making sure everyone understands that just because the word uranium is in the title of depleted uranium munitions, they are not nuclear munitions, they are purely conventional munitions."

Britain has used depleted uranium in its armour piercing shells for decades and does not consider those rounds as having a nuclear capability. Russia is known to also have ammunition containing depleted uranium.

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

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the British decision left fewer and fewer steps before a potential "nuclear collision" between Russia and the West.

"Another step has been taken, and there are fewer and fewer left," he told reporters in remarks cited by domestic agencies.

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.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close Putin ally, also waded into the row on Wednesday, saying Russia would retaliate against the British decision by providing Belarus with ammunition containing "real uranium".

"We need to step back from this madness. As soon as this ammunition explodes on Russian troops' positions, you will see a fearful response, it will be a lesson for the whole planet," he told reporters in a video clip.

"Russia does not only have depleted uranium... We have to lower this trend towards escalation in the conflict and move towards a peaceful settlement."

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