Will the United States "package" cluster ammunition to help Ukraine counterattack?, A new round of military aid to Ukraine is on the way to cluster ammunition | Ukraine | United States

Release time:Apr 14, 2024 02:36 AM

According to sources familiar with the matter, the Biden administration is expected to announce a new round of military assistance to Ukraine on the 7th local time, which will include highly controversial cluster ammunition.

The outside world believes that the United States has made a decision to provide cluster ammunition to Ukraine, which is closely related to the changes in the situation between Russia and Ukraine. The United States hopes to help Ukraine break through Russia's defense and advance its current counterattack through this move.

Human rights organizations urge the United States not to deliver cluster ammunition to Ukraine to avoid causing innocent civilian casualties. The public opinion points out that the United States disregards humanitarian concerns and insists on transporting controversial and widely banned cluster ammunition to Ukraine, which not only faces condemnation from international public opinion, but may also cause concerns among allies and even damage their unity. Because most EU and NATO member states have signed international conventions opposing the use of cluster ammunition.

Controversial ammunition poses significant risks

It is reported that the United States is about to announce the latest round of military aid to Ukraine, worth about 800 million US dollars, which will provide a series of ammunition weapons such as cluster ammunition, the Hamas multiple rocket launcher system, Bradley tanks, and Stryker armored vehicles.

This will be the 42nd round of military assistance provided by the United States to Russia-Ukraine conflict since the Russian Ukrainian conflict broke out last February, with a total amount of more than 40 billion dollars.

In this military aid list, cluster ammunition is the most eye-catching.

It is reported that after cluster ammunition explodes in the air, it scatters sub ammunition, which can spread to large areas and simultaneously destroy multiple targets, causing regional damage. Aircraft, artillery, and missiles can all use cluster ammunition.

Guy McCaddle, editor in chief of the Special Operations Forces Report website, said that cluster ammunition contains a "main bomb" that releases multiple "small bombs" after deployment. These small bombs will explode upon impact and destroy all life within an area equivalent to multiple rugby fields.

Even more dangerous is that some submunitions may "lag" in exploding, meaning they only explode after several months or even years, posing a lasting threat to civilians. According to humanitarian organizations, residual "duds" may account for one-fifth or even more.

Cluster ammunition was first used during World War II. Since World War II, cluster ammunition has caused approximately 56500 to 86500 civilian deaths.

Due to the significant harm caused to civilian life, in 2008, 123 countries and regions signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits the production, use, and storage of such weapons. However, countries such as the United States, Ukraine, and Russia have not signed the treaty.

According to the Pentagon, the last large-scale use of cluster ammunition by the United States was during the 2003 Iraq War. According to Human Rights Watch, the US military viewed cluster ammunition as a key weapon during the 2001 Afghanistan War. It is estimated that in the first three years of the Afghan war, the United States led coalition forces dropped over 1500 cluster munitions in Afghanistan.

After careful consideration for a week

Ukraine has been seeking to obtain cluster ammunition in order to help the Ukrainian army break through the Russian defense line and make progress in counterattack operations.

According to US media, perhaps due to the controversy surrounding cluster ammunition, congressional restrictions, and concerns from allies, the US has been hesitant about whether to comply with Ukraine's demands.

However, according to The New York Times, US officials have recently sent signals of a shift in attitude.

Deputy Assistant Defense Minister Laura Cooper, responsible for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasian affairs, told US lawmakers late last month that the Pentagon has determined that cluster ammunition is useful for Ukraine, "especially against Russia's defensive positions on the battlefield.".

Last week, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, Miley, stated that the United States has been considering providing cluster ammunition to Ukraine for a long time. "The Ukrainians have made a request, and other European countries have also provided some ammunition, and the Russians are using it," Mili said.

A US official said that the White House has been seriously considering this measure for at least a week. The White House responded on Thursday that it is actively considering providing cluster ammunition to Ukraine.

At a Pentagon press conference on Thursday, US Department of Defense spokesperson Pat Ryder stated that the department has multiple models of cluster ammunition and is considering providing Ukraine with only old models with an unexploded rate of less than 2.35%. This means that the risk of accidental civilian deaths will be greatly reduced.

According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the failure rate of explosives left behind by some cluster ammunition is high, reaching up to 40% in some cases.

The outside world believes that with Ukraine launching a counterattack, the changing situation may prompt the United States to no longer hesitate in providing cluster ammunition.

A US official told The Times: It is clear that in the current battlefield situation, it is "100% necessary" to use cluster ammunition.

According to US officials, cluster ammunition will effectively assist Ukraine in countering the Russian military in a strong defensive position.

On Thursday, when asked about the help that cluster ammunition would bring to Ukraine if approved, Ryder stated that cluster ammunition can exert its power in any type of offensive operation.

Before Ukraine launched a counterattack, the Russian army had spent several months building defensive fortifications, including trenches, tank traps, and landmines, to resist the Ukrainian army's attack. Kiev and Washington believe that cluster ammunition can help the Ukrainian army break through Russian defensive positions when the number of troops is less than that of the Russian army.

Ukrainian officials have repeatedly emphasized that cluster ammunition can become a powerful tool for Ukraine's counterattack, allowing the Ukrainian military to break through Russia's strong positions and overcome Ukraine's weaknesses in manpower and artillery.

However, Gabriela Rosa Hernandez, a researcher at the Arms Control Association, stated that due to the poor accuracy of cluster ammunition, it would also put the Ukrainian military at risk. For example, Ukrainian offensive forces may encounter unexploded ammunition deployed in the early stages.

Will it affect alliance unity?

Previously, Human Rights Watch called on Russia and Ukraine to stop using cluster ammunition and urged the United States not to provide cluster ammunition.

Human Rights Watch warns that transporting cluster ammunition to Ukraine will inevitably cause long-term suffering and harm to civilians, and will undermine global efforts to ban the use of cluster ammunition.

Brian Kastner, a weapons expert at the Amnesty International Crisis Response Team, pointed out that the use of this ammunition can carry out indiscriminate killing, violate international humanitarian law, and may constitute war crimes.

The outside world believes that the United States is preparing to provide cluster ammunition to Ukraine, which not only faces condemnation from the international community but may also attract opposition from allies.

US President Biden will attend the NATO summit in Lithuania next week, which is expected to continue to focus on the Ukrainian crisis.

The Associated Press reported that more than two-thirds of NATO members, including Britain, Germany, and France, have signed the Cluster Munitions Convention. It is currently unclear how NATO allies will view the United States providing cluster ammunition to Ukraine, and whether this will lead to internal disagreements within the alliance regarding support for Kiev, and even damage unity and cooperation among the allies.

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