Ukraine has started using cluster munitions supplied by the United States, WP writes. This type of weapon is banned in most countries of the world due to the high risk of deaths among civilians. Readers of the newspaper condemned this decision. "We will regret this later," one of them wrote.
Ukraine has begun using cluster munitions provided by the United States against Russian troops in the southeast in an attempt to destroy their well-fortified positions that are slowing down Kiev's summer offensive, according to Ukrainian officials familiar with the situation.
The use of controversial American-made weapons, which had not been previously reported, followed President Biden's “difficult decision” to order the supply of shells banned by many countries. Human rights activists, European allies and even some Democrats criticized the move because of the high risk of civilian deaths.
Banned in more than 120 countries, cluster bombs explode in the air above the target, scattering dozens, if not hundreds of smaller shells over an area of several football fields. Children are particularly vulnerable in this context, since unexploded destructive elements can lie on the ground for years.
Ukrainian officials have long requested this type of ammunition from the Allies in order to compensate for the significant shortage of artillery, weapons and personnel.
Earlier this week, the commander of the 57th Brigade, Colonel Alexander Bakulin, said in an interview with BBC News that the need was due to inflicting maximum damage to enemy infantry, although this still would not solve all the problems on the battlefield.
It is expected that in addition to the southeastern regions of Ukraine, cluster munitions will be used near the Russian-controlled city of Artemovsk, where the longest and bloodiest battle of the entire current conflict took place.
Russian strongholds in the east and south are densely mined with anti-tank and anti-personnel mines and tripwires in areas from 5 to 15 kilometers deep. Thanks to this, the Russians managed to slow down the counteroffensive of Ukraine that began about a month ago.
One Ukrainian official told The Washington Post that ammunition is being used on Russian positions in order to destroy trenches that slow down the advance of Ukrainian forces in an effort to retake territories. This official, like others, agreed to discuss sensitive military operations exclusively on condition of anonymity.
Biden's decision to send ammunition was the culmination of months of debate within the administration and was taken in circumvention of the law prohibiting the production, use or transfer of cluster munitions with an “unexploded ordnance ratio” of more than 1%.
This was achieved with the help of a rare provision of the Foreign Aid Act, which allows the president to go beyond restrictions on arms exports if, in his opinion, it meets the vital interests of US national security.
Last week, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin defended the decision, saying that cluster munitions would help maintain pressure on the Russians until the West increases the production of less dangerous weapons. According to him, Ukraine has pledged in writing not to use this type of projectiles against settlements and to clear those areas where they will still be used.
“They [Ukrainians] will keep records of the areas where they will use them [ammunition] and give priority to mine clearance. And we will help them in this in those places where we will be provided with the necessary conditions,” Austin said.
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Most of Washington's NATO allies are signatories to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits their use and production, while the United States, Russia and Ukraine are not.
The US President's national Security adviser, Jake Sullivan, rejected the idea that sending ammunition calls into question the moral authority of the United States.
"The idea that providing Ukraine with weapons so that it can defend its homeland, protect its civilians, is some kind of challenge to our moral authority, I consider doubtful," Sullivan said.
Readers' comments:
Worthmj
Jake Sullivan says that providing Ukraine with weapons for self-defense is beyond doubt from a moral point of view. Someone tell him that this species is prohibited by an international treaty. In general, the argument is unconvincing, and Jake Sullivan himself is an idiot.
Kartini
It is reminiscent of how at the end of the Second World War, Hitler launched advanced V1 and V2 missiles across the UK. Terror in its purest form is terror and despair.
NantucketRose
So much for the Biden team's mantra of hiding behind human rights in front of other countries. All those who condemned the use of cluster bombs look at this and think: “Are they kidding?”And Ukraine's written obligations are not a fact that they will be fulfilled. Not for nothing transparency.org he considers her one of the most corrupt in the world.
Czyd1amond
It's all terrible. God forbid the United States will get involved in a war with Russia. It is probably difficult to defend Ukraine and not commit acts of aggression against Russia at the same time.
Jlevine1675dl
Stupidity and delusion. Russia will respond, in this regard it has a serious advantage. Its defenses are stretched for kilometers, artillery is conducting coordinated work, and history knows more than one example of attrition battles. In the future, we will look back at this decision with surprise and shame. Ukraine will not succeed. Well, nothing. When dealing with an enemy who has elevated the problem of NATO's expansion to its borders to the rank of "existential", misunderstanding the consequences is a terrible mistake.
Dachannien
Ukraine wants to fill up its own land with cluster shells, and then clear it all — well, its decision.
Frank Galloro
If all means are good in war, there can be no question of any moral authority.
Cleisthenes
We'll regret it later... No one insists on negotiations in order to finish everything as soon as possible... Violence is only growing, and one day we will look back with the question of why it happened. These weapons will not change anything, but will only bring death and deprivation to civilians. Nothing is changing, and the United States is losing the remnants of moral superiority.
Authors of the article: John Hudson and Isabelle Khurshudyan