Cluster Bombs to Ukraine

"We recognize that cluster munitions create a risk of civilian harm from unexploded ordinance. This is why we deferred the decision for as long as we could." 

"But there is also a massive risk of civilian harm if Russian troops and tanks roll over Ukrainian positions and take more Ukrainian territory and subjugate more Ukrainian civilians because Ukraine does not have enough artillery. That is intolerable to us."

"Ukraine would not be using these munitions in some foreign land. This is their country they’re defending. These are their citizens they’re protecting and they are motivated to use any weapon system they have in a way that minimizes risks to those citizens."

"Russia has been using cluster munitions with high dud or failure rates of between 30 and 40%. In this environment, Ukraine has been requesting cluster munitions in order to defend its own sovereign territory. The cluster munitions that we would provide have dud rates far below what Russia is providing, not higher than 2.5%."

"Ukraine is committed to post-conflict de-mining efforts to mitigate any potential harm to civilians and this will be necessary regardless of whether the United States provides these munitions or not, because of Russia’s widespread use of cluster munitions."

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan

“It was a very difficult decision on my part. And by the way, I discussed this with our allies, I discussed this with our friends up on the Hill."

"[I acted on the recommendation of the Defense Department] to – not permanently – but to allow for this transition period, while we get more weapons, these shells, for the Ukrainians."

"They’re trying to get through those trenches and stop those tanks from rolling. But it was not an easy decision. We’re not signatories to that agreement, but it took me a while to be convinced to do it."

U.S. President Joe Biden

 

"The U.S. government should not be providing cluster munitions to any country due to the foreseeable and lasting harm to civilians from these weapons."

"Transferring cluster munitions disregards the substantial danger they pose to civilians and undermines the global effort to ban them."

Mary Wareham, acting arms director, Human Rights Watch

"The Biden administration’s decision to transfer cluster munitions will contribute to the terrible casualties being suffered by Ukrainian civilians both immediately and for years to come."

"Russia and Ukraine’s use of cluster munitions is adding to Ukraine’s already massive contamination from explosive remnants and landmines." 

Paul Hannon, vice-chair, International Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Munition Coalition 

A military sapper picks up an unexploded part of a cluster bomb left after Russia’s invasion in the Kyiv region. Photograph: Reuters

 The Pentagon will begin forwarding thousands of cluster munitions to Ukraine, forming part of a new military aid package to a value of up to $800 million targeted to the Ukrainian military's war effort against Russia. Despite widespread concerns of the bombs' track record in causing civilian casualties, sparking a call from the United Nations addressed to both Russia and Ukraine to avoid their use. The Pentagon plans to provide munitions with a reduced "dud rate"; fewer unexploded rounds that can result in unintended civilian deaths.

The weapons -- from Pentagon stocks -- will include Bradley and Stryker armoured vehicles and an array of ammunition, including rounds for howitzers and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, according to authorities. Cluster bombs, specifically requested by Ukraine, are weapons that open while airborne, releasing submunitions (bomblets),which are dispersed over a large area, intended to wreak destruction on multiple targets at once.

Ukraine plans to use the weapons to aid their campaign to forcefully navigate through lines of Russian troops to produce gains in their ongoing counteroffensive. Cluster munitions are already in use by Russian forces on the battlefield. They have been used as well in populated civilian areas. Some cluster munitions fail to detonate while in the air, and when they land, bomblets that have a high rate of failure to explode are left to threaten life and limb of unwary civilians.

 

Courtesy DVIDS obtained on July 7, 2023 shows Soldiers from Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, participate in a load exercise directed by the 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.  Handout / DVIDS / AFP

"[The Defence Department has] multiple variants [of the munitions and] the ones that we are considering providing would not include older variants with [unexploding] rates that are higher than 2.35%."

"[They can be loaded with charges that can penetrate armour and fragment so they can hit multiple personnel --] a capability that would be useful in any type of offensive operations."

U.S. Brigadier-General Pat Ryder

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, asked to comment on the move and how it might affect allied support of Ukraine, responded that NATO takes no position on cluster munitions. "So it is for these individual allies then to make those decisions."

"For 500 days, Moscow has brought death and destruction to the heart of Europe, seeking to destroy Ukraine and divide NATO."

"At the summit [scheduled for the coming week in Vilnius, Lithuania], we will make Ukraine even stronger, and set out a vision for its future."

"[The leaders] will agree a multi-year program of assistance to ensure full interoperability between the Ukrainian armed forces and NATO."

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg