US Air Force National Guard Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians prepare several contaminated and compromised depleted uranium rounds on June 23, 2022, at Tooele Army Depot, Utah (US Air National Guard)

Depleted uranium ammunition was used exclusively by NATO countries in armed conflicts, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the head of the radiation, chemical, and biological defense troops of the Russian armed forces, pointed out on Friday.

On Tuesday, UK Minister of State for Defense Annabel Goldie announced that the country will provide Ukraine with depleted uranium tank ammunition, including armor-piercing shells for Challenger 2 battle tanks.

On Wednesday, US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby claimed that this kind of ammunition is fairly commonplace and has been used for decades.

"It should be noted that depleted uranium ammunition was used exclusively by NATO countries in armed conflicts," Kirillov said.

Using uranium shells to cause irreparable harm to health of Ukraine population

The Russian official warned that the use of uranium ammunition will cause irreparable harm to the health of the military and civilian population of Ukraine, but NATO is ready to supply them to Kiev.

"Despite the fact that the use of such ammunition [with depleted uranium] will cause irreparable harm to the health of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the civilian population, NATO countries, in particular the UK, express their readiness to supply this type of weapon to the Kiev regime," Kirillov told a briefing.

He explained that uranium compounds remaining in the soil after its use as part of projectiles may be dangerous for people, animals, and the environment for a long time.

The Russian official added that after the use of shells with depleted uranium on the territory of Ukraine, significant cultivation areas will be contaminated — through vehicles, and radioactive substances will be carried to the territory outside the combat zone.

West well aware of negative outcome of using uranium shells

There are documents that confirm that the West is well aware of the negative consequences of the use of ammunition with depleted uranium, the Lieutenant General revealed.

"I draw your attention to the documents confirming the awareness of NATO countries about the danger of the consequences of the use of this type of ammunition, both for the armed forces, the civilian population, and for the ecology of the territories," Kirillov told reporters.

As an example of these documents, the official named the final report of the US Army Environmental Policy Institute to Congress in 1994. According to the document, technologies for reducing the toxicity of depleted uranium do not exist, while cleaning the areas where depleted uranium ammunition is used is extremely difficult.

NATO soldiers victims of use of depleted uranium shells in Iraq, Yugoslavia

Kirillov pointed out that NATO soldiers have become victims of the use of depleted uranium ammunition in Iraq and Yugoslavia.

"The victims of the irresponsible policy of their own leadership were NATO servicemen who took part in military campaigns in Iraq and Yugoslavia," he told a briefing.

The Russian official cited a 2016 report by the Chief Military Medical Inspector of Italy, which found that more than 4,000 servicemen of the national armed forces had malignant tumors of various types.

According to the report, these soldiers were deployed in the Balkans in 1994-1999 and in Iraq in 2003 in areas where the alliance forces used depleted uranium ammunition.

At the same time, 330 people — 8% of cases — died as a result of the disease, Kirillov concluded.

US used at least 300 tonnes of depleted uranium in Iraq

The Lieutenant General revealed that the United States used at least 300 tons of depleted uranium during the invasion of Iraq in 2003-2004.

"In 2003-2004, the United States widely used such ammunition in attacks on the targets of Iraqi cities: Amarah, Baghdad, Basra, Karbala, Fallujah," Kirillov said.

"In total, according to the United Nations, the United States used at least 300 tons of depleted uranium in Iraq," he added.

NATO fired 40,000 shells with over 15 tonnes of depleted uranium in Yugoslavia

In the same context, Kirillov noted that NATO fired about 40,000 shells with more than 15 tons of depleted uranium during the 1999 bombing of Yugoslavia.

"It is necessary to recall that depleted uranium aircraft munitions were used by NATO forces during the bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999. In total, about 40,000 armor-piercing air shells with a total amount of depleted uranium of more than 15 tons were used on the territory of this country," he told reporters.

The level of uranium contamination of soil and groundwater in Serbia still requires constant monitoring to assess potential risks, the Russian official noted.

Kirillov warned that the use of depleted uranium shells can provoke serious diseases, and the ingestion of dust into the body is a radiation hazard.

"As a result of the impact of a depleted uranium munition, a mobile hot cloud of a finely dispersed aerosol of uranium-238 and its oxides is formed, which, when exposed to the body in the future, can provoke the development of serious diseases," he said.

The main radiation hazard from depleted uranium occurs if it enters the body in the form of dust, the official added.

"The flux of alpha-radiation from small uranium particles deposited in the upper and lower respiratory tract, lungs and esophagus cause the development of malignant tumors. Uranium dust accumulating in the kidneys, bone tissue and liver leads to changes in internal organs," he explained.

Cancer incidence in former Yugoslavia, Iraq increased due to depleted uranium use

Kirillov noted that the incidence of cancer cases in former Yugoslavia and Iraq has sharply increased as a result of the use of depleted uranium ammunition by the United States.

"According to the Iraqi Government, the incidence of cancer in the country increased from 40 to 1,600 cases per 100,000 population in 2005 as a result of the use of depleted uranium ammunition," he told a briefing.

Elsewhere, he said that in the countries of the former Yugoslavia, where the United States also used such ammunition, there is a 25% increase in the number of cancer diseases.