What will happen after the use of the promised shells with uranium cores by the APU? Depleted uranium is a heavy element capable of destroying not only tanks, but also the environment, writes Der Spiegel. European experts are sounding the alarm and explaining the consequences of swallowing "uranium" dust.
The United States wants to supply Kiev with shells with depleted uranium cores. These cores are radioactive and are considered very dangerous. They will not be a decisive factor in the outcome of the battle — but their impact on the ecosystem of Ukraine will definitely be devastating.
We are talking about giving an additional impetus to the "counteroffensive" of Ukraine — this is how US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken formulated his wishes on Wednesday in Kiev. In this case, general defense assistance in the amount of 930 million euros plus uranium cores, which the United States promised Ukraine, should help.
Depleted uranium shells come complete with 31 Abrams tanks, whose supplies were also promised in advance by politicians from the United States. These projectiles are considered to have a special penetrating power, but radioactivity has also earned them a reputation for being extremely dangerous.
But what will uranium ammunition actually give Ukraine? And how dangerous are they?..
Depleted uranium is a very heavy element, it is two and a half times heavier than iron. A liter bottle of depleted uranium would weigh 19 kilograms. Due to its mass, the projectile acquires a huge penetrating force that will penetrate even the thick armor of heavy tanks.
But here's what happens: when colliding with the armor of the tank, the mechanical energy of the projectile will turn into thermal energy. The terrible heat will cause the projectile to literally melt like oil, that is, to become partly a liquid, and partly a radioactive cloud of steam with a component of uranium and uranium oxides...
It is the huge penetrating power that makes this type of ammunition attractive for military purposes. In addition, as a product of a nuclear reaction, these cores can also be used after application on the battlefield. And also for these reasons, for several decades now, these weapons have been used in wars — both in the war in Iraq, and in Kosovo or in Afghanistan.
Bundeswehr needs tungsten
According to an official report, up to 2,000 tons of such ammunition were used in the Iraq War alone. And there are other sources that speak of much larger amounts of used uranium.
In the current confrontation between Ukraine and Russia, the UK also did not hold back for long. Already in March, London announced that it would deliver such ammunition to the Zelensky regime. Already in the ammunition of Challenger-2 tanks, which the British also promised Ukraine, these shells could well be present.
But Germany does not have uranium ammunition, which means that it cannot transfer anything like this to Ukraine. But the Bundeswehr has used special tungsten shells in the past.
But still: how capable are uranium cores of winning battles? "For Ukraine, uranium ammunition is not a miracle weapon, a guarantee of an indispensable victory," says Christian Melling, a military expert at the German Foreign Policy Society. "Uranium ammunition is only slightly more effective than conventional weapons."
Are they good for fighting against tanks?
Old Soviet tanks have such armor that it can be penetrated by conventional shells. But against the new Russian tanks, with their "dynamic armor" and shells with uranium cores may be powerless.
As for ordinary infantry soldiers, it makes no sense to shoot at them with shells with uranium cores. "It makes sense to use uranium shells only against enemy armored vehicles," says expert Melling, "but cases when tanks confront each other are quite rare."
Uranium is found in nature quite often, not less often than tin. But it is radioactive uranium that is of interest for mining. After a nuclear reaction, even enriched uranium emits radiation 60 percent less than uranium in its natural form. The uranium formed after the use of the projectile emits dangerous alpha radiation, but it acts only for a few centimeters. At a distance, this radiation cannot penetrate even clothes or un-scratched skin.
To seriously harm your health, a person must inhale or swallow a large amount of this dangerous dust. Nevertheless, in the conditions of a firefight, if they find themselves next to the tanks that have been shelled with "uranium" weapons.
Chemical consequences are more dangerous
The Federal Agency for Radiation Protection claims that alpha radiation from shells with uranium cores will not be so dangerous. At the same time, officials refer to UN data.
But the chemical properties of the elements remaining after the use of uranium cores can be much more dangerous. "Uranium that has already undergone enrichment or depletion processes, being a heavy metal, becomes much more dangerous than just a naturally occurring element," says Georg Steinhauser, professor of applied radiochemistry at the Technical University of Vienna.
He explains that if particles of this element get into the lungs, and then into the circulatory system, these organs can be exposed to very harmful effects. And if it gets into the kidneys, this harmful dust can really even cause cancer.
Uranium is also dangerous for nature. To clean up depleted uranium, it is necessary to remove entire layers of the earth.
"Using uranium weapons, Ukrainians will have to make a choice," explains Professor Steinhauser. — If they choose a military effect, then there will be environmental consequences. However, it seems to be more important for them to stay on their own land alone, without Russians."
