Originally published September 6, 2023 4:00 pm PDT
The Biden Administration has made yet another step in its commitment to support Ukraine amid the ongoing tensions with Russia.
In a Wednesday press release from the Department of Defense (DoD), the administration announced its decision to provide additional security assistance, highlighting the inclusion of “depleted uranium rounds for previously committed Abrams tanks.”
The press release dated Sep 6, 2023, underscores that this new aid is the “Biden Administration’s forty-sixth tranche of equipment to be provided from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021.”
It further elaborates that the support aims to help Ukraine “counter Russia’s ongoing war of aggression.”
Detailed in the package, which has an impressive valuation of “up to $175 million,” are various tools and equipment deemed essential for Ukraine’s defense.
These encompass “equipment to support Ukraine’s air defense systems,” “Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles,” and “Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems.”
The decision to include “120mm depleted uranium tank ammunition for Abrams tanks” stands out, emphasizing the length to which Biden will go to support Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
Moreover, the package covers a vast range of artillery munitions, such as “additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS),” “155mm and 105mm artillery rounds,” and “81mm mortars systems and rounds.”
The exhaustive list further includes “over 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition,” “tactical air navigation systems,” “tactical secure communications systems and support equipment,” and “demolitions munitions for obstacle clearing.” The added provision of “spare parts, maintenance, and other field equipment” indicates comprehensive support to maintain the functionality of these resources.
The press release also provides clarity on the funding source for this generous assistance package.
It reveals that “this security assistance package will utilize assistance previously authorized under Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) for Ukraine that remained after the PDA revaluation process concluded in June.”
Reiterating the Biden admin’s unwavering support for Ukraine, the release concludes with a potent message, stating, “The United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements.”
Also on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Kyiv and confirmed the U.S. will be sending more than $1 billion in American assistance.
The use of depleted uranium rounds has sparked concerns due to their potential health and environmental risks, with some officials anxious about inviting criticism on these grounds.
Despite concerns over the “chemical toxicity” of depleted uranium, John Kirby, the National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, has defended its use.
He argued, “This kind of ammunition is fairly commonplace,” and maintained that it isn’t a radioactive threat.
Kirby’s claims came in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s accusations against Britain of supplying “weapons with a nuclear component.”
Others have raised concerns over the risk of unexploded ordnance causing civilian casualties long after the conflict has ended.
Per Harvard International Review:
Depleted uranium was used during major conflicts in the past decades, including in the Balkans and during the First and Second Gulf Wars. The United States and United Kingdom both used depleted uranium during the First Gulf War, but the United States used relatively more. Estimates vary, with some sources saying that around 300 tons of depleted uranium were used during the conflict. Shockingly, around 1,000 to 2,000 tons were used in the Second Gulf War in 2003, a conflict which only lasted around three weeks. Depleted uranium may pose a risk to both soldiers and local civilian populations. When ammunition made from depleted uranium strikes a target, the uranium turns into dust that is inhaled by soldiers near the explosion site. The wind then carries dust to surrounding areas, polluting local water and agriculture. Pieces of old armor and ammunition also pose a threat, particularly to local children playing on tanks and other military hardware made from depleted uranium. “The kids were playing on the tanks… and they were collecting the bullets,” explained Souad Al-Azzawi, an associate professor of environmental engineering at the Canadian University Dubai and former director of the doctoral program in environmental engineering at the University of Baghdad. “For some of the people, those bullets stayed in their houses for years. It was a disaster.” This should not come as a surprise. Students rarely–if ever–receive education about the harms of depleted uranium. Children aren’t warned against playing on toxic structures, reflecting a general lack of public awareness on the issue. Moreover, some young children may be exposed to depleted uranium through contaminated soil in former conflict zones. The depleted uranium left over from the Gulf Wars should be a cause for concern. Although it is only 60 percent as radioactive as natural uranium, depleted uranium is still chemically and radiologically toxic.
Moreover, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs explains the health problems associated with depleted uranium (DU):
DU is a potential health hazard if it enters the body, such as through embedded fragments, contaminated wounds, and inhalation or ingestion. This is because U’s radiation, while of high energy, penetrates poorly through tissues in the body. Simply riding in a vehicle with DU weapons or DU shielding will not expose a service member to significant amounts of DU or external radiation. The potential for health effects from internal exposure is related to the amount of DU that enters a person’s body. Inhaled DU particles are likely cleared from the lungs over several years. DU fragments may remain for many years. Older studies in U manufacturing workers show high exposures to U may especially affect the kidneys. To date, in a group of Veterans exposed to DU in friendly fire events, there has been no health impact to the kidney noted, however, recent research shows there may be an association between elevated urine uranium in these Veterans and lower bone mineral density (BMD). The BMD results require further study to determine if they persist over time and researchers and clinicians continue to monitor the health of these Veterans.
