What are cluster munitions and why is the US providing them to Ukraine?

On April 7, the U.S. government announced that it would provide cluster munitions to Ukraine to assist it in its fight against Russian aggression.

The use of cluster munitions has been widely criticized, and more than 100 countries have banned their use. The use of cluster munitions has been widely criticized, with more than 100 countries having banned their use.

What are Cluster Munitions?
Cluster munitions are weapons in which a single rocket, missile, or artillery shell flies over a wide area while a large number of small bombs are scattered over the area.

The small bombs that are scattered are designed to explode upon impact, but a significant number end up being unexploded. In particular, if the bomb lands on wet or soft ground, it may fail to detonate.

The small bombs that remain unexploded can cause death or injury if picked up or stepped on by someone at a later date.

Militarily, cluster munitions are frighteningly effective against soldiers based in trenches or fortified positions dug into the ground. Once cluster munitions fall, the result is that it is too dangerous to move within range of them unless the area is thoroughly cleared of unexploded ordnance.

Why are they banned?
Cluster munitions are highly lethal, and some of the unexploded ordnance left behind poses a risk of indiscriminate harm to civilians The Convention on Cluster Munitions, adopted in 2008, pledges not to assist, encourage, or solicit the use, development, production, acquisition, storage, possession, or transfer of cluster munitions or the conduct of these activities The Convention on Cluster Munitions, which was adopted in 2006, pledges not to assist, encourage, or solicit the use, development, production, acquisition, storage, possession, or transfer of cluster munitions or these activities. So far, more than 100 countries have signed the treaty, including Japan, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.

Small bombs that land and are left unexploded in residential and agricultural areas look like small toys, and children who touch or pick them up out of curiosity are at particularly high risk of being harmed.

Several human rights organizations have condemned cluster munitions as "horrific" weapons, and their use even amounts to a war crime.

Who is still using them?
Both Russia and Ukraine have been using cluster munitions against each other since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in earnest in February 2022.

Neither country has joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The U.S. is also not a participant in the treaty, but the U.S. has criticized Russia's frequent use of them in the past.

The failure rate of Russian-made cluster munitions is reported to be 40%. This means that many small bombs are left on the ground in dangerous conditions. In contrast, the average unexploded rate is nearly 20%.

The Pentagon estimates that the failure rate for U.S.-made cluster munitions is less than 3%.

Why is Ukraine demanding cluster munitions?
Ukraine's ammunition shortages are becoming more serious. Like the Russian military, the Ukrainian army is consuming shells at a very rapid rate, and replenishment by Western allies is not coming in time.

On the battlefields of southern and eastern Ukraine, both armies have been stalemated with few advances. There, artillery shells are the most important weapon.

The Russians have dug trenches and strongholds throughout their 1,000-kilometer-long front line, and they are thoroughly defended. The Ukrainian army is currently engaged in the arduous task of driving the Russians out of there.

Nonetheless, with a shortage of artillery shells, Ukraine has asked the U.S. to replenish its supply of cluster munitions. The purpose is to target Russian infantrymen who are defending in trenches dug throughout the front line.

For the U.S. government, this was not an easy decision. It has been harshly criticized both within the ruling Democratic Party and by many human rights activists. The debate over the provision of cluster munitions has been ongoing for at least six months.

The impact of the U.S. decision has been
The U.S. government has so far maintained its stance that it has the moral justification for the war in Ukraine. The immediate impact of this decision will be a major shakeup in that stance.

Numerous details of Russia's alleged numerous war crimes have been documented. But this move will be criticized as an expression of American hypocrisy.

Cluster munitions are horrific, cruel, and indiscriminate weapons. They are banned in most of the world for good reason.

This decision should cause the U.S. to shift its stance somewhat from that of other Western nations. And the appearance of some cracks in Western alliances is exactly what Russian President Vladimir Putin wants and needs.