weapons
White House: Ukraine uses cluster munitions ‘effectively’
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby has spoken out about cluster munitions in Ukraine. photo
© Susan Walsh/AP/dpa
Ukraine has started using controversial cluster munitions in its defense against Russia. The US is already seeing success in Ukraine’s defence.
Ukraine uses the US-supplied According to the White House, cluster munitions were already being used to defend against the Russian attackers. “They use them appropriately, they use them effectively,” said US government National Security Council communications director John Kirby.
The use of the cluster munitions is already affecting Russian defenses and offensive maneuvers, Kirby added. For more details, Kirby referred to the Ukrainians.
The Pentagon confirmed last week that the cluster munitions promised by the US shortly before had been delivered to Ukraine and arrived there.
cluster munitions controversial
Cluster munitions are missiles or bombs that burst in mid-air over the target, dispersing many small explosive devices. It is controversial above all because a significant part of it does not detonate, but remains on site as duds, thus endangering the population. More than 100 countries have banned their use, including Germany.
Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin had threatened to use cluster munitions if Ukraine started doing so. However, many experts are convinced that the Russian side has long been using such ammunition. The human rights organization Human Rights Watch, for example, accused Russia of shelling three residential areas in Kharkiv with cluster munitions in March last year. Russia has been waging a war of aggression against its neighbor for 17 months.