U.S. experts and weapons investigators for the United Nations, who are tracking Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, believe the Russian military is using deadly cluster munitions, Foreign Policy is reporting.
The outlet noted that munitions are banned by most of the world. But experts told the outlet that they believe Russia has used the weapons almost indiscriminately in Ukraine.
According to Reuters, the cluster bombs are made up of a hollow shell that explodes in mid-air. It then is capable of dispersing hundreds of smaller 'bomblets' over a wide area.
Foreign Policy noted that the experts are convinced that Russia has been using the munitions from almost the start of the invasion.
They believe the munitions were used in repeated attacks on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, and as far west as Mykolaiv, near the Black Sea port of Odesa, Foreign Policy said.
“The cluster munitions use has been flagrant and widespread and not geographically isolated,” said one independent weapons inspector, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “It’s been broadly used in Kharkiv and in the south and on the coast. It’s not limited to one theater of operations.”
Amnesty International documented three attacks using cluster munitions in Kharkiv as early as Feb. 28, just four days after the start of Russia’s invasion
The weapons inspector told Foreign Policy that investigators have seen Russia firing cluster munitions from the next-generation Tornado guided rocket launcher and airdropping the weapons on Odesa.
Human Rights Watch said that Russia launched ballistic missiles carrying cluster munitions outside a hospital in Ukraine’s Donetsk region in February. Four children were killed in the attack, killing four civilians and injuring 10 others, Foreign Policy said.
The Bellingcat website reported that it has documented cluster munitions landing close to schools, hospitals and in residential areas of Ukrainian cities such as Kharkiv, Odesa, and Kherson.
Reuters noted Russia was not part of the 2008 convention on banning cluster munitions. However, it is bound by international humanitarian law.
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Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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