Britain’s supply to Ukraine of ”depleted uranium shells represents a step towards a significant escalation of the situation”. This was stated by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov quoted by the Ria Novosti news agency, adding that ”the use of ammunition with depleted uranium” by the Kiev army ”will damage Ukraine’s agriculture”.
“It will cause a global tragedy that will mainly affect Europe” is the thought expressed by the chairman of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, on his Telegram channel. Volodin recalled that Washington “used similar shells in Yugoslavia and Iraq, which led to the contamination of the area, as well as a sharp increase in cancer among people.”
The Russia accused Britain of wanting to unleash a ‘genocide’ supplying Ukraine with depleted uranium shells. “The use of depleted uranium munitions is a manifestation of genocide of the population against which they are used and the people who use them,” said the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharovain an interview with ‘Sputnik’.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also openly criticized Britain’s decision to deliver depleted uranium ammunition to Kiev’s army. Yesterday evening the British Ministry of Defense in a statement rejected the accusations, explaining that it is a “standard component” which “has nothing to do with nuclear weapons or capabilities”. And this “Russia knows, but is deliberately trying to misinform,” the statement said.
Even the British Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, replied to the accusations, assuring that the supply of depleted uranium bullets to Ukraine does not represent a nuclear escalation. “There is no nuclear escalation. The only country in the world talking about nuclear issues is Russia,” Cleverly said, quoted by Sky News. “There is no threat to Russia, it’s just about helping Ukraine defend itself,” he added.
Activists from the British organization Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) have condemned the shipment of munitions containing depleted uranium to Ukraine, pointing to the link with various types of cancer.