The United States is preparing to approve a new military aid package for Ukraine today. The news is relevant because Washington would include the sending of cluster bombs, prohibited by 120 countries.
The United States, Russia and Ukraine refused in 2008 to sign the ban. The United Nations and the Human Rights Watch organization have denounced that the two countries at war have resorted to this type of weapon during these 500 days of confrontation.
Russia used them the first week
In the first week of the invasion of Ukraine, it was already detected that the Russian troops were using their particular arsenal of this type of lethal bombs. Broadly speaking, it is a device that, when released spread other smaller bombs. The usual thing is that they explode when making contact with the surface, but sometimes this does not happen. The risk is that it does so with a delayed effect or when trying to withdraw them. Different estimates warn that around the 5% fail and the civilian population is highly exposed.
World War II
The first time these bombs were used was in the World War II. 120 countries banned its use in the Convention on Cluster Munitions in 2008.
HRW urged the Russian Federation and Ukraine to avoid its use. The White Housewilling to deliver an arsenal of these ammunition, justified its decision because the margin of error is “reduced”.
Human Rights Watch conducted interviews with more than 100 people in and around the Izium city area. In a detailed report, he warned that Russia’s use of these cluster bombs caused the deaths of dozens of civilians. Subsequently, it was verified that Ukraine incorporated prohibited bombs into its weapons.
War crime
“Cluster munitions used by Russia and Ukraine are killing civilians now and will continue to do so for many years,” he said in The Guardian Mary Warehamacting director of armaments in HRW. “Both parties, he adds, should immediately stop using them and not try to get more of these weapons.”
The use of such bombs is considered a violation of international humanitarian law and possibly a war crime.
