Ukraine’s Security Service, known as the SBU, said investigators found depleted uranium inside a Russian missile warhead recovered in Chernihiv Oblast.
The missile was reportedly discovered after a Russian attack carried out last month. Officials said the weapon had not exploded when it was found.
According to the SBU, the missile was an R-60 air-to-air weapon mounted on a modified Geran-2 drone. Ukrainian authorities said Russian forces used the drone to target helicopters and aircraft involved in air defense operations. Investigators later detected abnormal radiation levels from the missile debris.
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The SBU stated that tests identified Uranium-235 and Uranium-238 inside the warhead. Officials measured gamma radiation at 12 micro-Sieverts per hour near the missile. They said this level was far above normal background radiation and could threaten human health.
What Depleted Uranium Means
Depleted uranium is a by-product created during the uranium enrichment process. It is much denser than steel and is often used in armor-piercing ammunition. Military forces value it because the material can penetrate the armor of heavy armored vehicles more effectively than standard metal rounds.
Experts say depleted uranium is less radioactive than natural uranium, but it still carries health risks. Burned or damaged depleted uranium can produce toxic dust particles that are dangerous if inhaled. The SBU warned that destroyed missile or drone fragments may release radioactive material into the surrounding environment.
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Ukrainian emergency units secured the missile warhead after it was discovered. The SBU said specialists from the State Emergency Service and the Ukrainian military transported the material to a radioactive waste storage facility. Authorities also urged civilians to avoid touching drone or missile debris found after attacks.
Rising Tensions Around Nuclear Messaging
The incident comes during a period of growing nuclear tension linked to the war in Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte recently warned that any Russian nuclear strike against Ukraine would bring a devastating response from the alliance. His remarks followed large-scale Russian and Belarusian military exercises involving strategic missile forces and nuclear training drills.
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Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has also criticized Russia’s deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Kyiv described the move as a serious threat to regional and global security. Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya accused Minsk of supporting Moscow’s nuclear pressure campaign.
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At the same time, Ukraine has intensified long-range drone attacks against Russian military and energy targets. Ukrainian drones have reportedly struck oil and gas facilities deep inside Russian territory, including sites located nearly 2,000 kilometers from the border. Analysts say these attacks have forced Russia to move air defense systems away from frontline areas.
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The SBU has opened a war crimes investigation under Article 438 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code. Prosecutors in Chernihiv Oblast are supervising the case as investigators continue examining the missile and its components.
The findings are expected to add further international attention to the growing risks tied to advanced weapons and nuclear-related materials in the conflict.
The discovery also highlights how the war is expanding beyond conventional battlefield tactics. Concerns over radiation exposure, environmental damage, and military escalation are becoming part of the broader security debate surrounding the conflict.
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As fighting continues, both Ukraine and its allies are expected to increase monitoring of unconventional weapons and strategic threats.
