UK Provides Depleted Uranium Ammunition to Ukraine... Putin Says "There Will Be a Significant Response"

After the UK announced it would supply depleted uranium ammunition to Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that "there will be a significant response."

According to major foreign media including The Guardian on the 21st (local time), President Putin told reporters after a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, "It seems the West intends to fight Russia until the last Ukrainian remains. If the Western bloc uses weapons including nuclear arms, Russia will respond accordingly," the reports said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin [Photo by Yonhap News]

Since the invasion of Ukraine, President Putin has stated that the West is threatening Russia with nuclear weapons and that Russia could use nuclear arms to defend its territory.

Additionally, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu warned in a statement on the same day, "We have moved one step closer to a nuclear conflict. The distance is narrowing," and cautioned that Russia also has measures to respond to such risks.

These remarks from Russia are interpreted as a reaction to the UK's decision to supply depleted uranium ammunition to Ukraine. UK Deputy Defense Minister Annabel Goldie revealed in a written response submitted to Parliament the previous day that some of the ammunition for the Challenger 2 battle tanks sent to Ukraine consists of depleted uranium rounds.

Deputy Minister Goldie evaluated that depleted uranium ammunition is very effective in defeating modern tanks and armored vehicles.

Depleted uranium ammunition is tank shells made using depleted uranium, which is a byproduct of the natural uranium enrichment process. Depleted uranium has a higher density than titanium or lead, and when alloyed with metals to make the projectile, it exhibits excellent penetration capabilities. Depleted uranium rounds were also used in the Gulf War and Yugoslavia.

However, although depleted uranium is 40% less radioactive than uranium, concerns have been raised that it can have fatal health effects. Experts see a strong correlation between congenital disabilities and the use of depleted uranium ammunition.

The anti-nuclear group Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) also opposed the UK government's decision, pointing out that it adds environmental and health disasters to those already suffering from war.