Depleted Uranium Shells No Better Than Tungsten Shells - Russian Defense Ministry

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th March, 2023) Depleted uranium shells do not have significant advantage over tungsten shells in conditions of modern military operations, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the head of the radiation, chemical and biological defense troops of the Russian armed forces, said on Friday.

"The use of ammunition containing depleted uranium has no significant advantage over tungsten in the conditions of modern military operations," Kirillov told a briefing.

The term depleted uranium is a trivial name for a metal based on over 90% of the isotopes of uranium-238 and less than 1% of uranium-235, the official said.

"The use of depleted uranium in such ammunition is associated with its high density, which ensures a high armor-piercing effect.

This effect is achieved by using the kinetic energy of the core itself, as well as its shell. Upon impact with the armor, the shell made of soft steel is destroyed and transfers its energy to the core, which penetrates into the armor," Kirillov explained.

According to the military, tungsten alloys have similar characteristics, but ammunition based on them is much more expensive to manufacture. Therefore, depleted uranium ammunition is much more often used in those countries where there are uranium reserves, its processing technology, and their use is planned on foreign territory when there is no need to think about environmental consequences.