Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) announced on Thursday that it uncovered six additional cases of Russia using depleted uranium in drones fired at the Chernihiv region, according to a report by journalist Asaf Rozentzweig (N12). The SBU said tests at impact sites showed radiation levels significantly above natural background and identified uranium-235 and uranium-238 isotopes in the warheads, and opened a criminal investigation into possible war crimes. The claims are unverified; depleted uranium is not prohibited under international law but remains controversial.
The SBU's announcement refers to six new cases, adding to a pattern of Ukrainian allegations of Russian use of unconventional weapons, though each case must be assessed independently. The SBU stated that laboratory tests identified uranium-235 and uranium-238 in the warheads, and that radiation levels at the impact sites in the Chernihiv region were significantly elevated. The claims have not been independently verified. The Zioneer previously reported on a Russian drone strike on the Chernobyl spent-fuel storage facility on June 7, 2026, but that incident did not involve depleted uranium allegations. Depleted uranium is a dense material used in armor-piercing munitions; its use in this context, if confirmed, would mark a notable escalation in the types of weapons employed in the conflict.
3 developments
- StrongUkraine reports: Russia used enriched uranium warheads in overnight drone attack on Kyiv
- DevelopingFire erupts at Russian oil refinery after drone interceptions, Moscow says
- DevelopingRussia reports downing 660 Ukrainian drones overnight, likely the largest attack yet
- DevelopingRussian drone reportedly strikes spent-fuel storage at Chernobyl nuclear plant
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