DISINFO: Western Leopard tanks firing radioactive ammo will destroy health of Ukrainians
SUMMARY
The Western-supplied Leopard tanks fire shells containing depleted uranium. Once they hit their target, the surrounding area becomes radioactive, which poses a danger for the residents of that area. These tanks are essentially armed with dirty nuclear bombs.
RESPONSE
The claim advances a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative regarding Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine.
German-made Leopard 2 tanks are neither using depleted uranium shells or armor. Even in case these rounds would be used in Ukraine, these are not nuclear weapons or dirty bombs as the article claims, and the health effects would be minimal, as these are armor-piercing rounds, use a dense material designed to better penetrate main battle tanks by higher kinetic impact.
The radioactivity of depleted uranium is negligible. Under international agreements, munitions containing this isotope are considered neither nuclear nor chemical weapons. See here for further debunking by The Insider (in Russian).
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Ukraine is going to use a dirty bomb to accuse Russia of using tactical nuclear weapons, that Ukraine asked NATO for preemptive nuclear strikes against Russia, that Ukraine wanted to acquire nuclear weapons because of American pressure, or that Zelenskyy is pushing the world towards a nuclear war.