WASHINGTON: As part of a $175 million aid package, the US will give Ukraine depleted uranium tank ammo, the Pentagon announced on Wednesday.
The 120mm rounds are for the US M1 Abrams, the Pentagon said in a statement, referring to the tanks Washington had promised Kiev.
The density of uranium – about 1.7 times that of lead – helps such ammunition penetrate heavy armor.
But depleted uranium is controversial because of its link to health problems such as cancer and birth defects in past conflicts, although the munitions have not been definitively proven to be the cause of those problems.
The United States has spearheaded international support efforts for Ukraine, quickly forming an international coalition to support Kiev after Russia’s invasion last year and coordinating aid from dozens of countries.
Washington has pledged more than $43 billion in military aid to Kiev since Moscow launched its all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
