What are depleted uranium shells?

Spoiler alert, these munitions have nothing to do with nuclear weapons.

Such projectiles consist of a thin core, which is made of heavy and strong alloys using tungsten or depleted uranium, and a shell, which, on the contrary, should be light.

The core looks like an arrow with plumage. The idea is that the projectile accelerates in the channel of the gun barrel as conventional ammunition, and already during the flight, getting rid of the shell, but not losing much in mass, would turn into a thin “arrow” that does not meet much air resistance. Such a projectile can fly at great speed and, colliding with armor, release great kinetic energy – the main striking factor of an armor-piercing projectile.

Depleted uranium shells are ammunition that contains depleted uranium (DU) as a penetrator or armor-plating material.

Shells have a high armor-piercing effect – capable of penetrating up to 1 meter of the armor of a tank or other military equipment. After hitting the armor, the uranium munition, due to its kinetic energy, melts and begins to burn out the armor and everything behind it.

No matter how much the Russians whine and declare nuclear war, ammunition with depleted uranium is not recognized as a chemical weapon, its use is not regulated and is not prohibited.