The White House said on Friday that the United States will provide cluster munitions to Ukraine, crossing an important threshold in the type of weapons offered to Kiev to defend itself against Russia.
“It’s a tough decision. We put it off.” At one point, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters, adding that this is the case “The right thing to do”.
sequel after announcement
Ukraine: The War That Continued
He claimed that President Joe Biden made the decision in consultation with allies and after a “Unanimous recommendation” manage it. The official further confirmed that the Ukrainians had given guarantees “by writing” On their use of these weapons to reduce Risks to civilians.
As Jake Sullivan points out, Ukraine does not You will not join NATO. At the end of the Vilnius summit, which is scheduled for next week, even if this question was raised during the event. Kyiv You still have many steps to go before you can become a member. from NATO, he said.
Wave of condemnations of non-governmental organizations
Washington announced this decision in an apparent desire to increase aid to Kiev’s forces, which had been massed in a counter-offensive struggling to make significant impacts against the Russian army.
But the use of these cluster bombs (BASM) sparked, even before the official announcement, a wave of condemnation from those measuring the effects and trying to mitigate them in the four corners of the world.
sequel after announcement
In August 2022, the Cluster Munition Monitor, which includes several specialized NGOs, noted that Ukraine was then the only theater in which it had been used, in this case by the Russian military.
These soldiers who deserted from Putin’s army
These bombs are dispersed randomly over an area larger than several soccer fields, in which there are many small explosives, a large part of which does not explode and is buried in the ground. Then they fall, de facto, into the category of antipersonnel mines.
In military terms, they make it possible to knock out a large number of enemy soldiers, to render an airfield unusable or to mine a vast area in order to impede the enemy’s advance.
violation of humanitarian law
But they, in violation of international humanitarian law, strike civilians and soldiers alike. Experts claim that between 5 and 40% of submunitions do not explode on impact and can therefore remain in the ground for decades.
sequel after announcement
In Kiev, at night under the bombs: “The terrible thing is that we end up getting used to this lottery”
“It is a death sentence for civilians in the long term. There are people who are not yet born and who will be the victims.condemns Baptiste Chappuis, of Handicap International – Humanity and Inclusion (HI).
Finally, he adds to AFP, “There is also a problem of physical access to affected areas by humanitarian organizations (…) thus preventing a lifeline for the affected population.”.
