Ukraine promises not to use cluster bombs in Russia

Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov welcomed the US decision to send cluster bombs to Kyiv, saying it would help liberate Ukrainian territory, but promised the munitions would not be used in Russia.

The US announced on Friday that it would supply Ukraine with widely banned cluster munitions for its counteroffensive against occupying Russian forces, Reuters reported.

Reznikov said the munitions would help save the lives of Ukrainian soldiers, adding that Ukraine would keep strict records of their use and share information with its partners.

“Our position is simple – we need to liberate our temporarily occupied
territories and save the lives of our people,” Reznikov wrote on Twitter.

“Ukraine will use this munition only for the de-occupation of our internationally recognised territories. This munition will not be used on the officially recognised territory of Russia,” he added.

Reznikov said the military would not use cluster munitions in urban areas and would only use them “to break through enemy defensive lines.” Russia, Ukraine and the United States have not signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which bans the production, stockpiling, use and transfer of the weapons.