Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia possesses a “sufficient stockpile” of cluster bombs and reserved the right to use them if such munitions were deployed against Russian forces in Ukraine. While Putin acknowledged that he viewed the use of cluster bombs as a crime, he asserted that Russia would respond in kind if necessary.
This statement follows Ukraine’s announcement that it received cluster bombs from the United States, its largest military backer. The United States justified providing these munitions as a means to compensate for shell shortages faced by Ukrainian forces during their counter-offensive. Cluster munitions, which release numerous smaller bomblets, are banned in over 100 countries due to their indiscriminate nature, posing a threat to civilians and leaving unexploded ordnance for extended periods, especially affecting children.
