The White House has confirmed that Ukraine is using American cluster bombs against Russian forces in the country, reports RSE.
National security spokesman John Kirby said the initial information they received was that they were being used "effectively" on Russian defense positions and operations. Cluster bombs scatter multiple bombs and are banned in more than 100 countries because of the threat to civilians. The US agreed to deliver them to augment Ukraine's ammunition stockpile.
Ukraine has promised that the bombs will only be used to eliminate concentrations of Russian enemy soldiers.
"They use them appropriately," Kirby said. "They are using them effectively and actually having an impact on Russian defense formations and Russian defense maneuvers."
The US decided to send the cluster bombs after Ukraine warned it was running out of ammunition during a summer counteroffensive, which has been slower and more expensive than many had hoped. President Joe Biden called the decision "very difficult," while allies Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Spain opposed their use.
The vast majority of bombs sent are artillery shells with a lower rate of 2,35 percent, which refers to the percentage of bombs that do not explode immediately and can remain a threat for years. The weapon is effective when used against troops in trenches and entrenched positions, as large areas appear too dangerous to move until cleared.
Russia has used similar cluster bombs in Ukraine since it launched a full-scale invasion last year, including in civilian areas.
Reacting to the US decision to send the bombs, Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country has similar weapons and that they will be used "if they are used against us".
MJ/RSE
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