Depleted Uranium in Ukraine long-term contaminates soil: Zakharova
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Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warns Poland that depleted Uranium in Ukraine could also result in soil contamination in neighboring Poland.
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A member of a radiation team holds a 30mm armor-piercing shell containing depleted uranium, used by NATO during air strikes on Bosnia in 1995, which was found in a former military factory in the suburb of Vogosca, near Sarajevo, Jan. 15, 2001. (AP)
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that the supply of depleted uranium munitions to Ukraine could result in the long-term contamination of soils across the country making it possibly uninhabitable.
In a new article on the kp.ru website, Zakharova wrote "Due to the supply of radioactive and highly toxic British and American depleted uranium munitions, Ukraine is turning into an uninhabitable land. Radiation contamination of the soil is already happening and is being objectively recorded."
Significantly, Zakharova noted that the use of munitions with such high contamination risks could also affect neighboring countries such as Poland. For example, earlier in May, there was a significant surge in background radiation similar to the Khmelnytskyi Region of Ukraine.
"The reason is probably the same as in Ukraine: the explosion of depleted uranium munitions placed in a depot in Khmelnytskyi," Zakharova noted adding that Ukrainians must request such munitions be removed from across the country.
West bringing the world to a 'nuclear Armageddon'
Similarly, Russian Ambassador in Washington Anatoly Antonov warned, back in March, that the US-led West has irrevocably crossed a perilous line that leads to a nuclear Armageddon by a decision made to supply Ukraine with depleted uranium ammunition.
"It seems that the enlightened West, led by Washington, has irrevocably decided to bring humanity to a dangerous line, beyond which nuclear Armageddon looms more and more clearly," Antonov said as cited by the Russian diplomatic mission in the United States.
In response to the UK's plan to deliver depleted uranium shells to Ukraine, the United States tried to cover up for such UK supplies to Ukraine by claiming that their use was commonplace.
"This kind of ammunition is fairly commonplace, been in use for decades," US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said Wednesday.
On this issue, Antonov added, "It is really difficult to comment on this kind of nonsense. US officials have hit a new low with their irresponsible statements. There is an endless flow of deadly weapons streaming to Ukraine by which civilians, residential areas, schools, hospitals, and kindergartens are being destroyed. But even this is not enough for Western villains. Now, apparently, they want to supply depleted uranium shells to the Kiev Nazis!"
He further cautioned that using this kind of ammunition radioactive dust is extremely toxic and cannot be decontaminated.
"The Americans are well aware of this because they have already used these weapons in Iraq and Yugoslavia, the victims suffered from deadly ailments, and their children were born with congenital defects," Antonov stressed.
Read more: US set to provide Kiev with depleted uranium tank munition: WSJ
