The United States is reportedly planning to send Ukraine a cluster munitions package to aid in its counteroffensive against Russia, according to US media reports. Ukraine has been requesting these weapons for months due to an ammunition shortage. Cluster munitions, which are banned by over 100 countries, are weapons that contain multiple explosive bomblets known as submunitions.
The Biden administration is expected to announce the package on Friday, as reported by CBS News, the US partner of the BBC. However, US officials had initially been hesitant to supply Ukraine with cluster munitions due to their indiscriminate nature, which poses a threat to civilians over a wide area. The US currently possesses a stockpile of these cluster bombs, which were first developed during World War II.
One of the main controversies surrounding cluster munitions is their high failure rates, meaning unexploded bomblets can remain on the ground for years and potentially detonate later on. US law prohibits the transfer of cluster munitions with a bomblet failure rate higher than 1%, but President Joe Biden has the authority to bypass this rule. Defense Department officials stated that the Biden administration is considering sending cluster munitions with a failure rate lower than 2.35%.
The Pentagon highlighted that Russia has already been using cluster bombs in Ukraine with even higher failure rates. While a United Nations investigation found that Ukraine has likely used cluster munitions as well, the country has denied these allegations. The planned aid package includes artillery shells with 88 separate bomblets each, which would be fired from Howitzer artillery weapons already deployed by the Ukrainian army. Additionally, the package includes Bradley and Stryker fighting vehicles, air defense missiles, and anti-mine equipment.
Human rights groups have called on both Russia and Ukraine to refrain from using cluster munitions and have urged the US not to supply them. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights released a statement reiterating the dangers of cluster bombs, emphasizing that they scatter small bomblets over a wide area, many of which fail to explode immediately and can cause harm years later.
Some US lawmakers have also voiced their concerns, arguing that the humanitarian costs of cluster munitions outweigh their benefits on the battlefield. However, Defense Department official Laura Cooper informed Congress last month that military analysts believe cluster bombs would be “useful, especially against dug-in Russian positions.”
The new weapons package from the Biden administration is valued at $800 million (£626,500), according to CBS News.
Why has the decision to send a cluster munitions package to Ukraine raised concerns among human rights organizations and activists
Unding cluster munitions is their harmful impact on civilians. When a cluster bomb is dropped, it releases multiple submunitions over a large area. Many of these submunitions fail to explode upon impact and become de facto landmines, posing a significant risk to civilian populations long after conflicts have ended.
Given this concern, over 100 countries have ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits the use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of these weapons. However, the United States is not a party to this treaty, although it has taken steps to limit the use of cluster munitions in the past.
In this context, the decision to send a cluster munitions package to Ukraine comes as a surprise. The country has been requesting these weapons for months, citing an ammunition shortage in its ongoing conflict with Russia. The US initially hesitated to fulfill this request due to the indiscriminate nature of cluster munitions and their potential threat to civilians.
The package, which is expected to be announced by the Biden administration on Friday, has raised concerns among human rights organizations and activists. They argue that sending cluster munitions to Ukraine not only contradicts international norms but also undermines efforts to eradicate these weapons worldwide.
Cluster munitions have caused significant harm to civilian populations in past conflicts, including in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Laos. Their use has led to numerous casualties, especially among children who are often attracted to the bright colors and unusual shapes of the submunitions. The long-lasting danger posed by unexploded submunitions has also hindered post-conflict recovery and reconstruction efforts.
It is important to note that assistance to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia is essential. However, the use of cluster munitions raises serious ethical and legal questions. Critics argue that alternative weapons and strategies should be explored to minimize harm to civilians, such as precision-guided munitions that can accurately target military objectives while minimizing collateral damage.
It remains to be seen how this decision will be received by the international community and whether it will have implications for the US stance on cluster munitions in the future. Regardless, the controversy surrounding this package emphasizes the ongoing need for countries to uphold and strengthen international norms and agreements aimed at protecting civilians in times of conflict.
