22 March 2023 , 00:10
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The Ministry of Defence has defended its decision to send armour-piercing rounds which contain depleted uranium to Ukraine, despite annoying Vladimir Putin.
On Tuesday it was reported the UK is sending weapons which contain nuclear components to boost Kyiv’s chances in the war with Russia.
The news was not well received by warmonger Putin, who has promised to "respond" to Britain's plans of sending ammunition to Ukraine.
But the MoD has defended the decision and insists the depleted uranium is a “standard component” which has “nothing to do with nuclear weapons”.
A spokesman told the BBC: “The British Army has used depleted uranium in its armour piercing shells for decades.
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The UK is sending weapons to Ukraine (Getty Images)"Russia knows this, but is deliberately trying to disinform. Independent research by scientists from groups such as the Royal Society has assessed that any impact to personal health and the environment from the use of depleted uranium munitions is likely to be low."
Furious Putin was earlier quoted as saying: "The United Kingdom ... announced not only the supply of tanks to Ukraine, but also shells with depleted uranium.
“If this happens, will be forced to respond accordingly, given that the West collectively is already beginning to use weapons with a nuclear component.”
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Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu also warned there are "fewer and fewer steps" to a nuclear collision.
Echoing Putin's warning, he added the world is just mere "steps" away from nuclear disaster.
Shoigu said: "Another step has been taken, and there are fewer and fewer left."
Putin promised Russia will "respond accordingly" (Getty Images)When asked whether this meant that the world was closer to a nuclear collision, he replied: "It was not by chance that I told you about steps. There are fewer and fewer."
"Naturally, Russia has something to answer this with."
Putin made the comments after meeting with leader where they signed an agreement to bring their relationship into a "new era".
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Earlier, two of key war chiefs were bitterly fighting each other as the begs leader for urgent military aid.
Head of private army Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, bluntly and publicly warned defence minister Sergei Shoigu that he will lose all military gains in Bakhmut if he fails to act fast.
Shoigu evidently shunned Prigozhin who soon after launched a scathing attack on the defence minister’s "scumbag" fitness blogging son-in-law.
He did the same when the Wagner boss recently accused Shoigu of refusing to provide ammunition and shells for the private army’s advances.
His answer was to cut Prigozhin’s telephone lines to the military high command.