The United States believes that Ukraine would be helped by the supply of cluster munitions.
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This is reported by Reuters with reference to the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia Laura Cooper.
Kyiv has previously urged members of Congress to pressure the administration of President Joe Biden to approve the shipment of advanced dual-use conventional munitions (DPICM) to Ukraine.
Cluster munitions, banned in more than 120 countries around the world, typically release many small, explosive submunitions that spread over a wide area and can kill civilians.
Our military experts have confirmed that DPICMs will be particularly useful against battlefield trenches,” Cooper said.
There has been no progress on deliveries, she said, due to existing congressional restrictions on the provision of DPICM and concerns about the position of the allies, she added.
Opponents of the use of cluster munitions warn that because of their large impact area, they can maim and kill civilians, and regularly unexploded projectiles pose a danger for many years after the end of the conflict.
The 2008 convention banning the creation, deployment and possession of cluster munitions has been agreed to by 123 countries, including most NATO members. The US, Russia and Ukraine refused to join the agreement.
In terms of effectiveness on the battlefield, we think it would be beneficial,” said Cooper.
Since the beginning of the conflict, Ukraine has already received many weapons it was initially denied, such as HIMARS missile systems, Patriot air defense batteries and Abrams tanks, but the Biden administration and some congressmen may decide, Reuters writes, that cluster munitions are too much.
Critics say the introduction of cluster munitions would put Kyiv on a par with the convention-breaking Russia.
However, supporters of the supply of such ammunition argue that it is difficult for Ukraine to compete with Russia in armaments, and cluster munitions could successfully compensate for the lack of means to combat manpower and armored vehicles, and besides, they were used where there are practically no civilians.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.