Ukraine has accused Russia of deploying attack drones fitted with radioactive components, alleging investigators discovered depleted uranium-containing munitions in the wreckage of Geran-2 drones recovered after strikes in the Chernihiv region.
According to Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), radiological inspections carried out alongside the State Emergency Service found radiation readings on some drone fragments up to 80 times above natural background levels.
Investigators said gamma radiation measured between 8.3 and 24 microsieverts per hour, compared with a stated sanitary limit of 0.3 microsieverts per hour.
The agency claimed the contaminated debris posed a potential risk to both public health and the environment.
The SBU alleges Russian forces modified R-60M air-to-air missiles for use on Geran-2 drones and that examinations identified uranium-235 and uranium-238 within the warheads. Ukrainian authorities said the findings were confirmed using mobile radiological laboratories before the hazardous material was secured and neutralised.
Kyiv has opened a criminal investigation under Article 438 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code, which covers alleged war crimes.
The SBU says it detected six more instances of Russia using depleted uranium munitions from Geran-2 armed with R-60M missiles in Chernihiv oblast from April-June. https://t.co/74NYd6PBLo pic.twitter.com/z3b7iPJc0R
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) July 23, 2026
If independently verified, the allegations would represent a significant escalation in the types of weapons reportedly being employed during Russia’s invasion. However, the claims have so far been made by Ukrainian authorities and have not been independently verified. Russia has not publicly responded to the allegations.
The announcement comes as both sides continue to expand their use of long-range drones in a conflict increasingly characterised by technological adaptation and attacks on strategic infrastructure far from the front line.
Separately, Ukrainian officials warned that Moscow could stage so-called false-flag operations against NATO members using drones disguised as Ukrainian aircraft, potentially targeting the Baltic states or Poland in an attempt to undermine Western support for Kyiv.
The latest claims are likely to intensify international scrutiny of the weapons being used in the conflict and renew calls for independent investigations into alleged violations of the laws of war.
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