Cluster Munitions Already Present in Ukraine, US Confirms

The Pentagon has confirmed that cluster munitions, supplied by the US and its allies, have been delivered to Ukraine to support their ongoing counteroffensive against Russia.

Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, the director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that these munitions, part of an $800 million arms package announced earlier this month, are already in Ukraine. However, concerns persist regarding the potential long-lasting deadly impact of these weapons on the battlefield, even after the hostilities come to an end.

Over 100 nations have ratified a 2008 treaty that prohibits the manufacturing, stockpiling, usage, and transfer of cluster bombs, which disperse numerous smaller bomblets capable of causing indiscriminate casualties across a large area.

These "dud" munitions, which fail to detonate as intended, have tragically harmed and injured civilians in various conflict zones, often many years after their initial deployment.

Southeast Asia, specifically during the Vietnam War, witnessed a significant impact of cluster bombs as the United States deployed hundreds of millions of them.

The Biden administration asserts that the cluster bombs being sent to Kyiv have a considerably lower "dud rate" compared to earlier models or those used by Russia at present.

Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims mentioned that Ukrainian officials are aware of and comprehend the possibility of duds, which, in this case, is expected to be extremely minimal.