Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia has a “sufficient stockpile” of cluster bombs and reserves the right to use them if the use of such munitions, which he regards as a crime, is deployed against Russian forces in Ukraine. This warning comes as Ukraine claims to have received cluster bombs from the United States, its largest military backer, to compensate for shell shortages faced by Kyiv’s forces in their mounting counteroffensive.
Cluster bombs are banned in over 100 countries due to their indiscriminate nature, typically releasing large numbers of smaller bomblets that can kill people over a wide area. Some of these bomblets inevitably fail to explode and can pose a danger for decades, particularly to children. Ukraine has announced that it will use cluster bombs to dislodge concentrations of enemy soldiers when trying to reclaim its own territory, but will not use them on Russian soil.
In response to Ukraine’s use of cluster bombs, Putin told state television that Moscow would take reciprocal action if necessary. He emphasized that Russia has not used cluster bombs yet, but has a sufficient stockpile of different types of cluster bombs. Putin also stated that he regards the use of cluster bombs as a crime and that Russia has not needed to use them despite having faced its own ammunition issues in the past.
Human Rights Watch has accused both Moscow and Kyiv of using cluster munitions in the conflict. Russia, Ukraine, and the US have not signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits the production, stockpiling, use, and transfer of the weapons. Cluster bombs, by design, kill indiscriminately, and their use poses a significant risk to civilians, including children and the disabled.
Putin’s words have raised concerns about the potential for further escalation in the conflict. His statement about examining captured Western military equipment and missiles, such as the Storm Shadow missiles supplied by Britain to Ukraine, to see if there is anything useful that can be used in Russia’s own military hardware has also sparked worries.
Vladimir Putin (Via Vladimir Putin/Twitter)
Russia’s reservation of the right to use cluster bombs has added to the tensions in the conflict. Ukraine’s receipt of cluster bombs from the US has been criticized by some human rights groups, who argue that the munitions are banned for a reason. Cluster bombs, as mentioned earlier, often fail to explode and can pose a danger for decades, making them a hazardous weapon to use.
The conflict in Ukraine has been marred by numerous human rights abuses and violations of international law. The use of cluster bombs would only add to the devastating impact of the conflict on civilians. Russia’s threat to use cluster bombs is a serious concern, and it is imperative that efforts are made to prevent their use and find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
In the context of international law, the use of cluster bombs would be a clear violation of the laws of war. The use of these weapons would also violate the principles of distinction and proportionality, which dictate that attacks should be directed only at military targets and that the expected harm to civilians and civilian objects must be proportionate to the anticipated military gain.
