The United States will supply Ukraine with depleted uranium ammunition, which is particularly effective against tanks and armoured vehicles, the Pentagon said.
These 120 mm missiles are used by US Abrams tanks, which Washington promised Kiev as part of a new $175 million military aid package.
According to the White House spokeswoman, this new package also includes HIMARS rocket launchers, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Abrams tanks, and other weapons systems.
This is the first time the US has said it intends to deliver depleted uranium missiles to Ukraine, which have a greater penetrating capability but are considered controversial because of the toxic risk they pose to both soldiers and the population. Britain had already announced several months ago its intention to send depleted uranium munitions, an initiative denounced by Moscow.
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US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who is on a two-day visit to Ukraine, said during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Kiev has made “significant progress” in the counter-offensive launched in June. He said he was encouraged by the results of the counter-offensive and looked forward to hearing Zelensky’s account of the two days he spent near the front lines this week. “But certainly we see the significant progress that has been made in the counter-offensive and it’s very, very encouraging,” he added.
For his part, Zelenski warned that the coming winter would be “difficult”. “But we are happy because we will not go through it alone. We will do it together with our partners,” he continued, thanking the US for its help in the energy sector, which was systematically targeted by Russian forces last year.