Direct proof of use
The L27A1 APFSDS appears in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War through the British Challenger 2 ammunition package supplied to Ukraine. A UK Parliament answer on 20 March 2023 stated that the United Kingdom would provide Ukraine with Challenger 2 tanks and armour-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium, and a later Parliament answer in March 2025 said the UK had sent thousands of Challenger 2 ammunition rounds to Ukraine, including depleted-uranium armour-piercing rounds.
The official UK answers identify the ammunition type and transfer but not the L27A1 designation. That designation is supplied by specialist secondary sources: ICBUW, citing CEOBS analysis, identified the Challenger 2 depleted-uranium ammunition for Ukraine as CHARM 3/L27A1 APFSDS, while a 2024 Frontiers review listed Challenger 2 deliveries to Ukraine with the depleted-uranium round described as Charm-3 L-27.
Sources: UK Parliament HL6144 Ukraine ammunition, UK Parliament 36263 Depleted Uranium, ICBUW British DU ammunition for Ukraine, Frontiers DU munitions and Ukraine war
Timeline
On 20 March 2023, the UK Ministry of Defence answered a parliamentary question by saying that armour-piercing depleted-uranium rounds would be supplied alongside the Challenger 2 tanks granted to Ukraine. ICBUW published its statement three days later, linking that official transfer to CEOBS's identification of the ammunition as CHARM 3/L27A1 APFSDS.
By March 2025, the Ministry of Defence said the UK had sent thousands of Challenger 2 ammunition rounds to Ukraine, including depleted-uranium armour-piercing rounds. The same answer declined to discuss Ukrainian usage rates for operational-security reasons, so the public record supports supply and fielding with the Challenger 2 package rather than a disclosed count of L27A1 rounds fired.
Sources: UK Parliament HL6144 Ukraine ammunition, ICBUW British DU ammunition for Ukraine, UK Parliament 36263 Depleted Uranium
Narrative
L27A1 is the British CHARM 3 armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot round associated with Challenger 2's 120 mm L30A1 rifled gun. In Ukraine, the documented chain is indirect but specific: Britain publicly acknowledged depleted-uranium armour-piercing Challenger 2 rounds for Ukraine, and external technical and advocacy sources identify that Challenger 2 depleted-uranium round as CHARM 3/L27A1.
The documented role of the ammunition package was anti-armor fire for Ukrainian Challenger 2 units. The March 2023 UK answer described the depleted-uranium rounds as armour-piercing ammunition for defeating modern tanks and armoured vehicles, while the 2025 answer confirmed that the supplied Challenger 2 ammunition stock included depleted-uranium armour-piercing rounds.
No public official source in this record identifies a specific Ukrainian firing incident, target, location, or expenditure total for L27A1. The source-backed claim is therefore supply and fielding as part of Ukraine's Challenger 2 package, with the exact battlefield use rate withheld by the UK Ministry of Defence.
Sources: UK Parliament HL6144 Ukraine ammunition, UK Parliament 36263 Depleted Uranium, ICBUW British DU ammunition for Ukraine, Frontiers DU munitions and Ukraine war
