According to a report, the u.s. has announced a €1 billion package to Ukraine, including reinforced shells that Russia say contain a nuclear component. Reportedly, Russia has condemned the move to equip u.s. Abram tanks with shells made of depleted uranium which makes weapons more powerful, but those weapons could be a threat to people in areas where they are used.
According to the report, depleted uranium is uranium stripped of some not all of its nuclear activity. Reportedly, a very dense metal, it can be used on the tips of bullets, mortar rounds and tank shells in order to penetrate conventional tank armour. According to the report, depleted uranium sharpens on impact and ignites after contact. Reportedly, it was developed by the u.s. and uk in the 1970s and was used in the Gulf war in 1991, Kosovo in 1999 and the Iraq war in 2003. According to the report, a study published in the journal, Environmental pollution in 2019 suggests there may be links between the use of depleted uranium weapons and birth defects in Nasiriya, Iraq.