Today: Thursday, 5 December 2024 year

The United States is going to provide Ukraine with shells with depleted uranium.

The United States is going to provide Ukraine with shells with depleted uranium.

The White House is going to approve the provision of tank shells for Abrams with depleted uranium to Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.

The Biden administration is expected to provide Ukraine with depleted uranium rounds after weeks of internal discussions on how to equip the Abrams tanks the US is giving Kyiv.


According to one official, there are currently no major barriers to approving the shipment of depleted uranium munitions. But some officials in the White House have expressed concern that the transfer of these shells will expose Washington to criticism as they pose a danger to human health and the environment.


In March, Britain announced plans to transfer depleted uranium-core projectiles to Kyiv along with Challenger tanks.

When shells with depleted uranium are used, radioactive dust settles on the ground, which is extremely toxic and cannot be decontaminated. Their use can lead to outbreaks of cancer. US troops used depleted uranium munitions during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, during the bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999, and after the invasion of Iraq in 2003.