New Delhi: Russia has slammed the United Kingdom’s decision to deliver depleted uranium shells to Ukraine, calling it an “all-out escalation” after the British Defence Ministry revealed the hazardous weapons were already in Kyiv’s hands, reported Russia Today (RT).

The statement from Moscow’s UK embassy came after senior official James Heappey acknowledged that the British depleted uranium munitions had arrived on the battlefield.

It read, “James Heappey’s comments are a grim testament to the ruthlessness of the Anglo-Saxons’ policy of all-out escalation of the ‘proxy conflict’ they themselves unleashed in Ukraine.”

“He cynically stated that London is not monitoring the deployment of these weapons and has no obligation to eliminate the consequences of their use following the end of the conflict.”

The embassy went on to say that the British government could not escape accountability by passing them off to Ukrainian forces. It also stated that the government would be responsible for the effects of the “toxic ammunition”.

Last week, Andrey Kelin, Russia’s envoy to Britain, in an interview with RT claimed that DU munitions will be a “terrible thing… for the agriculture and for the people” of Ukraine. He added that the radioactive residue could contaminate Ukraine’s water and soil “for at least six generations.”

According to a 2007 government assessment, Heappey claims that depleted uranium poses relatively “low” health and environmental concerns.

However, uranium munitions produce “chemically toxic and radioactive DU particulate” when they strike hard targets, according to Doug Weir, an expert with the Conflict and Environment Observatory. He added that the dust poses “an inhalational risk to people.”

Moscow has urged all international powers to halt all weapon shipments to Ukraine, claiming that this will simply prolong the conflict.

With inputs from agencies

Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,
India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.