Putin: the supply of cluster bombs to Kyiv should be treated as a crime

The supply of cluster munitions by Washington to Ukraine should be treated as a crime, the United States itself has previously called their use a crime, Russian President Vladimir Putin told journalist Pavel Zarubin for the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin” on the channel “Russia-1”.

“As for cluster munitions, the US administration itself gave an assessment of these munitions through the mouths of its employees some time ago, when the use of cluster munitions was called a crime by the US administration itself. So, I think this is how we should treat it,” the president said.

According to Putin, the decision on deliveries is made “not from a good life”, but because of the lack of ammunition. The President cited data according to which the Ukrainian army spends “up to 5-6 thousand 155-caliber shells” per day of hostilities, while the United States produces 15,000 of them per month.

“They don’t have enough [боеприпасов], and in Europe is no longer enough. But they did not find anything better than to suggest the use of cluster munitions. I want to note that in the Russian Federation there is a sufficient stock of various types of cluster munitions. We have not done this yet, we have not applied it, and we have not had such a need,” the head of state said.

He stressed that Moscow did not use these ammunition even “despite the known shortage in a certain period of time.” “Of course, if they use against us, we reserve the right to mirror actions,” he said.

On July 7, the White House announced the transfer of cluster munitions to Kyiv. Washington said Ukraine had provided the United States with written assurances that the ammunition would be used “with care.” On July 13, the Pentagon announced that weapons were already in Ukraine.

At the Russian Foreign Ministry considered such a move is a “gesture of desperation,” and Denis Pushilin, acting head of the DPR, stressed that the transfer of cluster munitions would not affect the course of the special operation. The Kremlin warned that if Ukraine uses such weapons, Russia will be forced to take countermeasures.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu declaredthat in the case of deliveries of cluster munitions to Ukraine, the Russian military will be forced to use similar weapons against the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The minister explained Washington’s decision to supply cluster munitions by the shortage of 155-caliber shells in the United States.