Ukraine Invasion: Part 40

[MagicFox]

40 threads, still here 🇺🇦

Thank you @MissConductUS.

Some findings from Porton down were released yesterday, where they tested on servicemen to compare results.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-65609339

Keeping it factual here and unemotional.

Interesting but not connected to DU in any way unless I've missed something?

In the context of the thread is it just perhaps worth emphasising that the Porton Down trials were very much, very specifically, Chemical Warfare research related, nothing to do with Depleted Uranium.

There is also a lot of lead flying around and that can be fatal too. Not forgetting all those sharp pointy things that Russia keeps sending into residential tower blocks and hospitals.

@RollerCoaster2020

You might like this one. Berwick-upon-Tweed The war in Ukraine is all the UKs fault. Goes right back to 1854. Feast…!

Yep...I know I shouldn't but I smile just a little bit at the idea wars should be fought in an environmentally friendly fashion.

There would be no need for DU or anything else to be flying around the Ukrainian landscape in a lethal fashion if the Russians had complied with a whole range of international agreements.

They didn't, so given that the use of DU in components may help the Ukrainians hoof Russian forces back behind their own borders I wonder if they have any qualms about using ammunition containing the stuff??

and the hundreds of thousands of mines that will plague Ukraine for decades to come. They will make farming or walking in the countryside or the coast dangerous for a very long time to come.

in haste, we're over the 200,000. Rest of the roundup this afternoon.

200,000

And how many Ukrainians who just wanted to get on with their lives. And the wrecked landscape and cities and ecosystems. The reports on marine life lost from the Black Sea are appalling. Putin and his gang are inhumanely cruel.

Hear hear!

Put simply, the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) found no significant poisoning was caused by exposure to depleted uranium.

Thank you MissConductUS, notimagain and others for your informed views on depleted uranium. I learnt something.

The evil is transcendental. It needs to be buried for 1000 years.

I have never served in a diplomatic role. I have, however, dealt with many difficult and misinformed people. Diplomats offer the carrots, and the military carries the DU stick. 😁

When I posted last night, I was trying to get ready for bed and neglected to mention that the Russians have been using DU munitions for ages, and have widely used white phosphorous incendiary munitions in Ukraine, despite the international ban on doing so.

@RollerCoaster2020, you've made quite a splash with your very first post on Mumsnet.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-may-16-2023

Key Takeaways

• Russian forces have likely committed to reinforcing their tactical offensive effort in the Bakhmut area despite Ukraine’s apparent focus on limited and localized counterattacks.

• The reported Russian reinforcements to the Bakhmut area suggest that Russian forces are continuing to concentrate offensive capabilities there despite an assessed wider effort to reprioritize operations to prepare for potential Ukrainian counteroffensives.

• Russia conducted another large-scale drone and missile strike on the night of May 15 to 16

• Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin attempted to downplay his reported cooperation with Ukrainian intelligence on May 15.

• The Wagner Group’s continued glorification and normalization of violence is evident in a widely circulated video purportedly showing a killed American volunteer in Bakhmut.

• Russia and Iran continue efforts to strengthen bilateral military-economic cooperation.

• The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) proposed a draft regulatory act that would allow FSB officers to conduct searches without a court order, likely to support the Kremlin’s ongoing efforts to strengthen domestic repression.

• Russian forces reportedly shut down another Ukrainian evangelical Christian church in Mariupol likely as part of a systematic religious persecution campaign in occupied Ukraine.

• Russian forces are reportedly deploying additional manpower and equipment from Belarus to reinforce their positions in Luhansk Oblast.

• Russian forces continued unsuccessful offensive operations along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kremmina line.

• Russian forces have made marginal gains within Bakhmut as of May 16 and continued limited ground attacks along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line.

• Russian forces are continuing to panic about maintaining their positions in the east (left) bank Kherson Oblast ahead of anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensives.

• The Kremlin continues to pass legislation that provides benefits to participants of the war and their families in order to incentivize military service. [Although getting the payments appears to be a different matter]

• Russian authorities continue efforts to consolidate the economic subordination of occupied areas of Ukraine into the Russian economy.

Extra:

Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) Head Denis Pushilin claimed on May 16 that Russian forces have strengthened their forces in the Bakhmut area to stabilize the situation, and a prominent Russian milblogger claimed that four unspecified Russian battalions have deployed to the flanks around Bakhmut to prevent Ukrainian breakthroughs.[1] Russian claims about Russian reinforcements are consistent with Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar’s May 15 statement that Russian forces are deploying additional airborne (VDV) forces to defend Bakhmut’s flanks

Good news:

Jim Sciutto
AT jimsciutto
·
3m

New: Damage to a Patriot air defense system following a Russian missile attack near Kyiv is minimal, three US officials tell CNN. US sent inspectors to examine the system on Tuesday - and system itself remains functional, the officials said. W/my colleague@NatashaBertrand

Kyiv Independent Telegram

⚡️UK, Netherlands agree on ‘international coalition (https://kyivindependent.com/uk-netherlands-agree-on-international-coalition-to-help-ukraine-procure-f-16-jets/)’ to help Ukraine procure F-16 jets.

⚡️Marine charged (https://kyivindependent.com/marine-charged-with-treason-over-capture-of-pows-in-mariupol/) with treason over capture of POWs in Mariupol.
Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) reported on May 16 that Kostyantyn Bezsmertny, a commander at the 501st Marine Battalion, had been charged with treason for allegedly persuading 277 soldiers to surrender to Russian troops as prisoners of war.
The bureau said it had closed desertion cases against the 277 soldiers.

⚡️Official: Ukraine wants (https://kyivindependent.com/defense-ministry-ukraine-wants-between-40-50-f-16-fighter-jets/) 40-50 F-16 fighter jets.

When dying ‘stops being scary’: Worn out Ukrainian soldiers in Donbas hold off Russian assaults (https://kyivindependent.com/when-dying-stops-being-scary-worn-out-ukrainian-soldiers-in-donbas-hold-off-russian-assaults/)
Behind the headlines about Ukraine's long-lasting defense, the liberation of territories, and the optimism with which many anticipate the much-talked-about counteroffensive, lies the enormous toll of civilians-turned-soldiers, who rose up to defend their country in the wake of Russia’s all-out invasion. Toughened with experience and traumatized by the horrors of the war, they are still trying to adjust to their new reality together. Our reporter Asami Terajima met with Ukrainian soldiers fighting in Donetsk Oblast.

⚡️Macron: France to give Ukraine missiles that would 'allow it to resist (https://kyivindependent.com/macron-we-are-not-waging-war-with-russia-we-are-helping-ukraine-to-resist/)' Russia.
Macron did not specify the type of missiles, but he emphasized that France is providing Ukraine with weapons to defend itself against Russia, not to attack it.

Investigative Stories from Ukraine: Journalists map military facilities in Russian-occupied Crimea (https://kyivindependent.com/investigative-stories-from-ukraine-journalists-map-military-facilities-in-russian-occupied-crimea/)

⚡️Media: Russia's FSB recruits (https://kyivindependent.com/media-russia-fsb-recruits-former-militants/) former ISIS militants to be agents in Ukraine.
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has been recruiting former ISIS fighters over the years as their "agents" in countries like Ukraine, independent Russian media outlet Meduza reported on May 16.
Russian special services wanted [one individual] to infiltrate the Chechen and Tatar battalions fighting on the side of Ukraine.

⚡️Ukrainian flag raised (https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-flag-raised-over-nato-ccdcoe-office-estonia/)over** NATO cyber defense headquarters.
The Ukrainian flag was raised at NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence in Tallinn, the Foreign Ministry reported on May 16.

⚡️(https://kyivindependent.com/supreme-courts-ex-head-kniaziev-charged-with-corruption/).
Ukraine's Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) reported charging Supreme Court Head Vsevolod Kniaziev with corruption on May 16.
Supreme Court votes to dismiss chief (https://kyivindependent.com/supreme-court-plenum-votes-no-confidence-in-courts-chief-accused-of-bribery/)alleged (https://kyivindependent.com/supreme-court-plenum-votes-no-confidence-in-courts-chief-accused-of-bribery/) of taking a $3 million bribe (https://kyivindependent.com/supreme-court-plenum-votes-no-confidence-in-courts-chief-accused-of-bribery/)
A plenary meeting of Ukraine's Supreme Court has voted to dismiss the court's head, Vsevolod Kniaziev, who was earlier detained for allegedly receiving a $3 million bribe.

Inside the mission to evacuate civilians from Ukraine's front lines ( Interview with UK volunteer

⚡️CNN: Patriot system might be damaged (https://kyivindependent.com/cnn-patriot-system-likely-damaged-by-russian-may-16-attack-on-kyiv/)by** Russian May 16 attack on Kyiv.
A U.S.-made Patriot air defense system was likely damaged in the Russian May 16 missile attack on Kyiv but not destroyed, as Russia previously claimed, a U.S. official told CNN.

Ukraine war latest (https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-says-it-liberated-large-patch-of-land-on-bakhmut-outskirts-yet-admits-russia-advanced-in-bakhmut/): Ukraine says it liberated large patch of land on Bakhmut outskirts, yet admits Russia advanced in Bakhmut
Ukrainian forces liberated roughly 20 square kilometers (12 square miles) of land on the northern and southern outskirts of Bakhmut, but Russia has “somewhat” advanced in the city itself, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry reported on May 16.

Where does Russia expect Ukraine’s counterattack (https://kyivindependent.com/where-does-russia-expect-ukraines-counterattack-overview-of-defensive-lines/)? Overview of defensive lines
Defenses have been prepared along pretty much the entire front; in occupied Crimea and inside Russia. They incorporate trenches, bunkers, strongpoints, infantry, vehicle shelters, anti-tank ditches, dragon's teeth, and minefields.

⚡️EBRD: Ukraine's recovery might require $250 billion (https://kyivindependent.com/ebrd-ukraines-recovery-might-require-250-billion/).

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has released a report indicating that Ukraine will need approximately $250 billion for its recovery over a five-year period

⚡️UK Defense Ministry: Growing threat to air supremacy (https://kyivindependent.com/uk-defense-ministry-growing-concern/) of 'exceptional concern' for Russia.

⚡️Russian forces shell hospital in Kherson Oblast (https://kyivindependent.com/russian-forces-shell-hospital-kherson-oblast/).
Russian forces shelled a hospital and a high-rise building in Beryslav on May 17, the Kherson Oblast Prosecutor's Office reported.

⚡️SBU: 6 individuals, public cameras identified that shared information on Ukrainian air defense (https://kyivindependent.com/sbu-air-defense-online/).

⚡️State Bureau of Investigation: (https://kyivindependent.com/state-bureau-of-investigation-zhevago-assets/) reported on May 17 that it was working alongside the Agency for Investigation and Management of Assets to retrieve more than $113 million in frozen assets from a Swiss account belonging to Ukrainian oligarch Kostiantyn Zhevago.

Mykhailo Zhernakov: How a draft law risks putting Ukraine’s Constitutional Court under full political control (kyivindependent.com/zhernakov-how-a-draft-law-risks-putting-ukraines-constitutional-court-under-full-political-control/)
“At the end of April, the Verkhovna Rada registered draft law No. 9225, which further changed the procedure for selecting judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine (CCU). Spoiler alert: the draft law will establish the government’s complete political control over the CCU,” writes Mykhailo Zhernakov, a Ukrainian lawyer and the co-founder and Chair of the Board of DEJURE Foundation, in his recent op-ed.

⚡️US Foreign Affairs Committee supports resolution (https://kyivindependent.com/us-house-of-representatives-supports-resolution-on-special-tribunal-for-russia/) on special tribunal for Russia.

⚡️Duda: Poland can't supply (https://kyivindependent.com/duda-poland-cant-give-f16s-to-ukraine/) Ukraine with F-16s.

⚡️Council of Europe creates Register of Damage (https://kyivindependent.com/council-of-europe-approves-register-of-damage-for-russian-crimes-of-aggression-in-ukraine/)for Russian crimes of aggression in Ukraine.

⚡️Zelensky's office: South African president wants to come to Ukraine (https://kyivindependent.com/media-south-african-president-wants-to-come-to-ukraine-on-peace-initiative/) as part of 'peace initiative' delegation.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa wants to come to Ukraine on a "peace initiative" with the leaders of other African countries, President Volodymyr Zelensky's spokesperson Sergii Nykyforov confirmed to Ukrainska Pravda on May 17.

⚡️Appeals Chamber upholds decision to confiscate assets (https://kyivindependent.com/appeals-court-upholds-decision-to-confiscate-saldos-assets/)of** Russia's top proxy in Kherson.
The Appeals Chamber of the Ukrainian High Anti-Corruption Court upheld on May 17 the Justice Ministry's request to confiscate the assets of Volodymyr Saldo, the former mayor of Kherson collaborating with Russian occupying forces.

UNITED24 Media Telegram

Reuters: The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, met with the President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol as a special representative of the President during her visit to South Korea.
South Korea has said it does not provide lethal weapons to Ukraine, citing its relations with Russia. However, Yoon told Reuters in an interview last month that his government could not "insist only on humanitarian or financial support" if Ukraine's civilian population came under a large-scale attack.

Great Britain will send hundreds of custom-made kamikaze drones to Ukraine, — The Telegraph
Defense sources admitted to The Telegraph that the drones were "one-sided", adding that their "primary purpose is to carry munitions". "They were quickly developed and adapted at a significantly lower cost than others and had an effect comparable to an artillery shell."

Providing weapons to Russia will seriously undermine China's reputation around the world, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană said in an interview with Voice of America.

⚡️⚡️Ukraine has officially joined NATO's Cyber Center, — Ukrainian Foreign Ministry

The Hensoldt company signed a contract for the supply of 6 more TRML-4D radars to Ukraine in the amount of €100 million, the company's press service said.

🗳 PACE President Tinie Cox insists on the need to hold parliamentary and presidential elections in Ukraine even under martial law — the Ukrainian authorities must figure out how to respond to this challenge.
"If the elections are not ideal, there will be no complaints against Ukraine. But if you do not hold elections, then everyone will have questions for you. Democracy is, of course, not only elections. But without elections, democracy is impossible," he emphasized

⚡️During martial law, no elections can be held in Ukraine — neither presidential nor parliamentary, said Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the NSDC, on the telethon air.

During the opening of the Cannes Film Festival, the unsurpassed Catherine Deneuve read a poem by Lesya Ukrainka "Hope"

The flight speed of the Russian Kinzhal missiles is most likely less than declared by the occupiers
This assumption was made by military commander Bild Röpke.

Russian and Belarusian athletes were officially denied entry to the 2023 European Games, which will be held in Poland
It was reported that the Russian Boxing Federation expressed its desire to participate in the tournament for selection for the 2024 Olympics, but the European Olympic Committee (EOC) refused.

The fourth summit of the Council of Europe started in Reykjavík. The leading topic will be the support of Ukraine.
At the summit of the Council of Europe in Iceland, a political declaration was signed on the creation of the Register of Damages Caused by Russia's Aggression Against Ukraine, — Prime Minister Shmyhal
❗️Six member countries of the Council of Europe did not sign the agreement on the criminal register of the Russian Federation, which was approved at the summit of the Council of Europe in Reykjavik.
Currently, the signatories of the document or those who have given guarantees of signing are 40 states of the Council of Europe, as well as the USA, Canada, Japan, and the EU as an organization.

In the United States, they began testing a drug that can protect against the harmful effects of radioactive substances used in the creation of a "dirty bomb" on people. The results of the research will be known as early as next year.

The last ship within the framework of the "grain agreement", valid until May 18, left the port of Chornomorsk. The DSM Capella vessel with 30,000 tons of corn is heading to Türkiye.

The Prime Minister of Georgia, which restores communication with Russia: We do everything for the sake of peace.
It also refused to impose sanctions against Russia in connection with a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russia convenes the UN Security Council to condemn the supply of arms to Ukraine.
On Thursday, May 18, at the request of Russia, a meeting of the UN Security Council will be held to discuss the supply of weapons to Ukraine by Western countries.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Peter Szijarto said that Budapest will block EU military aid to Ukraine until Kyiv excludes the Hungarian OTP Bank from the list of international sponsors of the war

The Russian "Pantsir-S1" air defense system near Donetsk was destroyed by a HIMARS missile

Live: Ukraine Telegram

Chinese authorities are asking foreign embassies and international organizations based in Beijing to remove signs of support for Ukraine. The Chinese authorities have asked them not to use the walls of their buildings for "political propaganda," Kyodo reports.
Some embassies in Beijing have placed signs, #StandWithUkraine inscriptions, and Ukrainian flags on their premises. Most of the posters in support of Ukraine are on the territories of the embassies of Canada, Germany and Poland.

The head of DIU, Kyrylo Budanov, believes that 80% of what the leader of the Wagner PMC, Yevheniy Prigozhin, says is true.
In particular, Budanov notes, Prigozhin is quite sincere in his criticism of Defense Minister Shoigu and Commander-in-Chief Gerasimov.

The head of the DIU, Kyrylo Budanov, said that Ukraine communicated with Belarus and Alexander Lukashenko through MP Yevhen Shevchenko. The contacts were conducted to prevent Belarus from being drawn into the war and the repeated entry of Russian troops from its territory.
"We use his communication capabilities and his connections. We have never hidden this. And he is effective in this process. Shevchenko has been helping for quite some time," Budanov said.

For the first time, US Secretary of State Blinken has admitted that Russia could be recognized as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Recognizing Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism would lead to Moscow's international isolation and force the United States to impose additional restrictions on countries that interact with the Kremlin. It is the State Department that has the authority to determine this status

Russian Volunteer Corps announces large-scale partisan war against Putin.

Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat urged Ukrainians not to worry about the fate of the Patriot SAM, which was reportedly destroyed by Russian propaganda.
He noted that it is impossible to destroy this system with a Kinzhal missile, as the Patriot is a battery complex that forms a division. It has a command post, radar, and up to eight launchers. Everything is located at a certain distance. [luckily it doesn't seem the damage is too severe, but getting the command post hit would doubtless be very bad]

The hosts of the French channel RTL called Volodymyr Zelensky's recent trip to Europe a "circus tour" and played up his announcement of it as a circus performance.
Ukraine's Ambassador to France Vadym Omelchenko demands an apology.

He noted that it is impossible to destroy this system with a Kinzhal missile, as the Patriot is a battery complex that forms a division. It has a command post, radar, and up to eight launchers. Everything is located at a certain distance.

If it was damaged but still operational, either a redundant component (like one of the generators) was hit or falling missile debris did some damage. If the missile was on a trajectory to hit the complex when it was intercepted, the debris will largely continue on that same trajectory. That's one reason the components are spread out over a large area.

I imagine that if the command post was hit, it would be bad ...

I thought the spread of the components was to enable more accuracy in diagnosing the target and effecting the response, as much as allowing for a 'plug and play' system.

But presumably the 'de facto' CEP of the debris would minimise concerns further.

I'm not an air defense expert, but I think you're correct. Separating the radar emitters would allow triangulation of the target. I think that the dispersal of the other components minimizes the potential damage of a single munition that makes it through the screen.

There's talk on Reddit that it was some power cables and a generator that was damaged, but no confirmation on that. In a way, it would have been nice to let the Russians continue to think it was out of action when it wasn't.

Three Russian missile engineers have been arrested for treason, presumably for humiliating the state by contradicting Putin's statements that their hypersonic missiles could evade any defense. I recall similar arrests last year when Russian air defense systems could not intercept the M30 and M31 missiles fired by the American Himars launchers.

I can't think of a better illustration of why Russia is failing. It's a classic "the beatings will continue until morale improves" leadership strategy.

'We can no longer do our job', say Russian missile scientists following arrests for treason - Putin warned that weapons research facility could collapse, as hypersonics experts stage rare public protest

Russian hypersonic missile scientists have warned the Kremlin that their research could collapse after security services detained their colleagues for treason.
The scientists told the Russian government they cannot continue with their work unless the FSB stops arresting researchers at their Siberian institute.

The rare act of protest, which came in an open letter, raises further questions over Russia’s ability to develop the hi-tech weaponry it needs for its war in Ukraine.

It comes as some of Russia's most vaunted hypersonic missiles have failed to live up to expectations on the battlefield, with Ukraine shooting down at least half a dozen "unstoppable" Kinzhal missiles in recent weeks.

Three leading scientists working on Russia’s hypersonic missile programme in Siberia have been jailed and charged with treason in the past 10 months.
Researchers from the Novosibirsk-based Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics warned that the arrests were damaging research into hypersonic technology.

Russian scientists warn of 'impending collapse'In the open letter published on the institute’s website, the scientists urged the government and the Russian public to “defend Russia’s aerodynamics research and save the decades worth of work of Soviet and Russian scientists from the impending collapse”.

Anatoly Maslov, a 76-year old physicist specialising in aerodynamics, and Alexander Shiplyuk, the 56-year old head of Novosibirsk’s hypersonic missile technology lab, were arrested one month apart last summer and have been in jail since. A third aerodynamics scientist, Valery Zvegintsev, was detained last month. The arrest of Mr Zvegintsev was not previously reported.

Their colleagues described them as “brilliant scientists” whose “competences and professional reputation would allow them to find well-paid and prestigious jobs abroad” if they wanted to.

“We know each of them as a patriot and a decent person incapable of committing what they are being suspected of,” the letter said.

The scientists also shed light on the plight of Novosibirsk-based physicist Dmitry Kolker, who died in jail last summer two days after he was arrested on treason charges. His arrest came as he was fighting for his life in hospital with stage four pancreatic cancer.

A Kremlin spokesman said on Wednesday he was aware of the scientists’ appeal but insisted that the president trusts Russian law enforcement agencies in investigating and prosecuting those cases.

Well before the invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin bragged about Russia’s hypersonic missiles as a major deterrent that makes his army invincible.
Some of those missiles are still in development or testing stages but one of them, the Kinzhal, has been used on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Apologies, I see now that I've only copied and pasted half of the article. Here's the rest.

Despite Putin’s claims it was unstoppable, Ukraine’s air defence systems, many donated by the West, have been shooting the Kinzhals down since March.
The other Russian hypersonic missiles, the Avangard and the Zircon, have not been identified in Ukraine yet.

The FSB intelligence agency that handles treason cases routinely classifies all case files.

The Siberian scientists said in their letter they were unaware of the details of the charges against the three men but they knew from “open sources” that their colleagues are being punished for speaking at a conference abroad, taking part in international projects and publishing articles in top scientific magazines - routine work for which “they could spend the rest of their lives behind bars”.

An unnamed official in the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences told the Interfax news agency on Tuesday that the scientist was detained three weeks earlier and has been under house arrest since.

The unnamed official said the man was allegedly detained for publishing an article “in a foreign scientific publication”.

Russian law enforcement agencies have not commented on the case.

'We do not understand how to do our job'The scientists have warned that the flurry of arrests could destroy their areas of research as the FSB-led witch hunt is already spooking young scientists.

“We’re not only scared for our colleagues: we simply do not understand how to do our job any more,” the letter said, adding that they fear “any article or report can now trigger treason charges”.

“The best students are already refusing to work with us while our best young employees are leaving scientific research.”

The number of treason cases in Russia increased rapidly well before the invasion of Ukraine as the FSB was eager to emphasise their work uncovering foreign spies while Putin and the Russian leadership spoke of the West trying to undermine Russia.

In the first four months of this year , investigators in Russia opened at least 20 criminal cases of treason, which is as many as for all of 2022.

A Moscow court on Tuesday received the fifth filing for the arrest of a treason suspect this month. There is no public information about the nature of those cases.

Putin last month signed legal amendments that increase the potential penalty for treason from 20 years in jail to a life sentence.

I just asked DH his opinion on this and he said their tin foil hats are causing them to spout gibberish. The depleted uranium thingies release less uranium into the soil than is naturally occuring in many places. You'd get more uranium exposure swimming in the sea than you do from handling these.

There no evidence at all that they are hazardous to public health (unless they get hit by them). In fact Swedish soldiers whose exposure rate was monitored while working in areas they'd been used in the former Yugoslavia were found to have lower levels at the end of their tour than at the beginning, because naturally occuring rates in Sweden are higher than in a 'contaminated' battle field.