2023-09-02 19:15:08
2023-09-03 03:15 United Daily News compiled Xu Yuhan/Comprehensive report It is rumored that the administration of US President Joe Biden will deliver depleted uranium bombs that can penetrate armored vehicles to Ukraine for the first time.Associated Press
Archyde.com quoted a document seen on the 1st and reported that the US President Biden’s administration will deliver depleted uranium armor-piercing bombs capable of penetrating armored vehicles to Ukraine for the first time in the upcoming military aid to Ukraine. Two US officials have confirmed this separately in recent days. But the White House has yet to comment. It is said that the radioactive particles of depleted uranium can stay for a long time, and its dust has the risk of causing disease and cancer, and it will increase the difficulty of cleaning up following the war.
The ammunition is part of an upcoming U.S. military aid program for Ukraine. They can be launched from the main U.S. Abrams tank to destroy Russian tanks and are expected to be delivered to Ukraine in the next few weeks, according to people familiar with the matter.
One of the U.S. officials said the value of the latest U.S. military aid package ranged from $240 million to $375 million (approximately NT$7.7 billion to $12 billion), depending on the specific items covered , not yet finalized.
Although Britain has provided Ukrainian depleted uranium bombs this year, this will be the first time that the U.S. has provided such weapons, which is expected to spark controversy. Depleted uranium is a by-product of using enriched natural uranium as nuclear fuel. It is characterized by extremely high density, which can more easily penetrate the armored metal plates of tanks and armored vehicles, and spontaneously ignites in hot dust and metal. Depleted uranium is said to be radioactive, but at much lower concentrations than natural uranium.
The safety of depleted uranium bombs has been debated, and groups such as the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons, which oppose their use, say ingesting or inhaling depleted uranium dust poses serious health risks, including cancer and birth defects in newborn babies. The IAEA said studies in the former Yugoslavia, Kuwait, Iraq and Lebanon showed that depleted uranium residues did not pose a radiation hazard to the population.
However, the Wall Street Journal pointed out in June that the United States intends to provide Ukraine with depleted uranium bombs. As the Ukrainian army’s counterattack is not as expected, the recent military aid to Uzbekistan includes ammunition, anti-aircraft missiles and ground vehicles. Archyde.com might not confirm what other items the aid would include, in addition to depleted uranium bombs. This wave of aid to Ukraine comes from Biden’s use of the presidential appropriation power. Since the war between Russia and Ukraine last February, the United States has provided more than US$43 billion in security assistance to Ukraine (approximately NT$1.4 trillion).
Ukraine Russia Russo-Ukrainian War
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