How Russia reacted to the US decision to transfer cluster munitions to Ukraine

On July 7, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan announced during a briefing that Washington had decided to transfer cluster munitions to Kyiv. The Russian Foreign Ministry considered such a move a “gesture of desperation,” and Denis Pushilin, acting head of the DPR, said that the transfer of cluster munitions would not affect the course of Russia’s special operation in Ukraine.

The White House acknowledged the danger of such weapons to the civilian population, noting that Ukraine provided the United States with written guarantees that the ammunition would be used “with caution.” On the same day, the Pentagon announced a new $800 million military aid package for Kyiv.

According to the Washington Post, the United States plans to transfer 155 mm M864 cluster shells to Ukraine, suitable for American artillery. But these shells, created back in the 1980s, have high percentage of failed items. From 5% to 14% of them may not explode at all, according to Pentagon data in the American media: the storage of such “delayed mines” poses an additional risk to the civilian population.

US President Joe Biden in an interview with CNN explainedthat the decision to transfer cluster munitions to Kyiv was made against the backdrop of a shortage of conventional shells in both the United States and Ukraine. He stressed that this is a temporary measure until the US produces “more 155 mm ammunition.” The Armed Forces of Ukraine use the American M109 “Paladin” self-propelled guns and M777 howitzers.

Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov named The US decision to hand over cluster munitions to Ukraine is a “gesture of desperation”. According to him, Washington and its allies realized “their impotence.” Antonov added that the “new frenzy” of the United States is connected with the unwillingness to admit the failures and failure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the counteroffensive.

“The cruelty and cynicism with which Washington approached the issue of transferring deadly weapons to Kyiv is striking. <...> Now, through the fault of the United States, for many years there will be a risk that innocent civilians will be blown up on non-functioning submunitions, ”the diplomat recalled the consequences of such a step.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, commenting on Washington’s decision, remembered words of former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who in February 2022 declared that the use of cluster munitions is a war crime.

Later, the diplomat drew attention to the promise of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov to keep records and report on the use of this type of weapon. “To whom is he telling this? Accounting and reporting is not about Ukraine under the current Kiev regime,” wrote She is in her Telegram channel.

In an official comment published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zakharov named the decision of the US authorities is “a cynical attempt to prolong the agony of the current Ukrainian authorities.” The supply of such weapons will make Washington an accomplice in the mining of the territory, the country “will fully share the responsibility for those who died from explosions, including Russian and Ukrainian children,” she added.

“Ukraine previously used cluster shells on the territories of the republics, and then justified itself and tried to deny this fact. And now the US president is openly signing his participation in war crimes,” said the acting head of the DPR (quote according to TASS).

The human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) on July 6 recalled the deaths of civilians during the strikes of the Ukrainian armed forces on the city of Izyum in the Kharkiv region in 2022 and warned Washington against transferring cluster munitions to Kiev. An HRW study showed that strikes using Ukrainian cluster munitions on Russian-controlled areas in the city of Izyum resulted in civilian casualties.

Kyiv’s promises to use cluster munitions “carefully” Pushilin called “an oxymoron”. Pushilin added that the value of any guarantees of Ukraine in this regard is equal to zero. “Their signatures mean nothing,” he said, recalling the unsuccessful attempts to reach agreements with Kiev over the years of the conflict in the Donbass.

By counting publications of The Hill, 38 human rights organizations, including HRW, publicly spoke out against the supply of cluster munitions to Ukraine.

The US decision also did not find support in the UK, Italy and Spain. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged not to use such weapons in Ukraine. Italian Prime Minister George Meloni statedthat the republic “hopes for universal application” of the principles of the Cluster Bomb Convention. Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles emphasizedthat cluster munitions should not be supplied to Kyiv.

In 2008, the Convention on Cluster Munitions was signed, more than 100 countries participate in it, promising not to produce, use or transfer this type of weapon. The use of cluster shells will not bring the Armed Forces of Ukraine a strategic advantage, a source close to the leadership of the DPR is sure: “At the same time, the support of Kiev with deadly weapons by the “American partners” may force the Russian Armed Forces to give a symmetrical response, which will lead to additional losses in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.” Russia, like Ukraine and the United States, has not signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev admittedthat Biden’s actions can be attributed to the fact that the US president is a “sick old man” who “does not know what he is doing.”