America’s explosive move: Cluster munitions handed over to Ukraine

The White House announced on Friday that the US will supply Ukraine with cluster-style artillery rounds in a move designed to pressurize Russia to de-escalate the conflict and equip Kyiv with weaponry to protect its territory.

The Ukrainian government has assured that the controversial weapons will be used with care to reduce civilian risk, according to National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

Sullivan reported that Ukraine’s forces are currently discharging thousands of artillery rounds daily to counteract Russian progress and reclaim their land. To ensure a constant supply of arms for Ukraine’s defense, the decision was made to deliver cluster munitions from US stockpiles.

The US-made shells provided to Ukraine are known to have a significantly lower failure rate. Sullivan disclosed that the Ukrainian government is committed to undertaking post-war demining efforts to shield civilians from unexploded submunitions, which have caused harm in past conflict zones.

Sullivan differentiated Russia’s usage of cluster munitions on Ukrainian territory from Ukraine’s self-defensive intentions. After a unanimous recommendation from the national security team, President Joe Biden, in consultation with allies, Congress members, and partners, agreed to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine.

An $800 million military aid package for Ukraine was announced by Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin H Kahl at the Pentagon. The package includes 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, such as Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM), and additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems and High Mobility Artillery Rocket systems. It also includes more Stryker armored personnel carriers, precision aerial munitions, demolition munitions, and various spare parts and operational sustainment equipment.

While over 100 nations are signatories to the 2008 Oslo Convention on Cluster Munitions, banning the use of such weapons, the US, Russia, and Ukraine are not. The US’s decision to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine has elicited dissatisfaction among some Democrats who believe it threatens the moral standing of the United States.

The Ukrainian government has promised the US that DPICM will be used responsibly, including a commitment to avoid deploying the rounds in civilian-populated urban areas. Kahl pointed out that the cluster munitions given to Ukraine by the US are the most modern DPICM, with a failure rate below 2.35 per cent, contrasting with the cluster munitions used by Russia in Ukraine, which reportedly have failure rates from 30 to 40 per cent.

Cluster munitions are a type of explosive weapon that disperses multiple submunitions or bomblets over a wide area, designed to inflict widespread damage. While they can be effective in military contexts, their use has sparked international controversy due to the high risk of civilian casualties and the long-term hazards posed by unexploded submunitions left behind after conflicts.