Citing unnamed government sources, US media reports that Washington is complying with Kiev’s demands for the supply of internationally banned cluster munitions. According to CNN, the plans could be officially announced later today.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had repeatedly called for this. The Pentagon initially declined to confirm this. The White House had previously said it was investigating the transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine.
The type of ammunition is internationally prohibited
Cluster munitions are missiles and bombs that explode in the air above the target and disperse or release many small explosives – the so-called sub-munitions. The ammunition type has been criticized because a significant percentage of explosives often fail to detonate, remaining in place as duds, endangering the population. Many states have signed a treaty banning cluster munitions. However, the United States did not sign the agreement.
“I would note that the Russians have already used cluster munitions on the battlefield,” said Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder. The US had cluster munitions in its stockpiles. Ryder pointed out that older ammunition had more duds.
criticism from human rights organizations
“We would carefully select bullets with a lower percentage of duds for which we have current test data,” Ryder said. Various human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized the use of cluster munitions in the war in Ukraine.
Source: Krone
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