Cluster munitions for Ukraine: Putin threatens 'equivalent steps'

He said this during the filming of the program "Moscow. Kremlin. Putin" on the propaganda TV channel Russia-1, preliminary excerpts from which were posted by its author Pavel Zarubin on his Telegram channel on July 16, 2023.

If Ukraine uses cluster munitions, Putin said, it would be a "crime," in his opinion.

"As for cluster munitions, the U.S. 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. I think this is how we should treat it," Putin said.

In this way, he repeated the recent words of Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who in turn allegedly quoted one of the White House's statements last year.

On February 28, 2022, the then White House spokesperson, Jen Psaki, did indeed mention the use of cluster munitions, but not as unequivocally as Putin and Zakharova present it. She noted that this would "potentially" be a war crime, and, according to Psaki, the United States would rely on international organizations in its assessments.

In addition, neither Putin nor Zakharova mention the fact that the Russians themselves have been using cluster munitions since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

At the same time, Putin claims that the supply of cluster munitions to Ukraine demonstrates that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are allegedly short of ammunition.

"The Ukrainian army uses between 5,000 and 6,000 155-caliber shells per day of combat operations, while the United States produces 15,000 per month. They don't have enough, and Europe doesn't have enough anymore," the Russian president said.

Instead, Putin emphasized, Russia has a "sufficient" supply of cluster munitions.

"Russia has a sufficient stockpile of various types of cluster munitions. So far, we have not done so, we have not used them, and we have not had such a need, despite the known shortage of ammunition in a certain period of time, but we have not done so. Of course, if they are used against us, we reserve the right to mirror actions," Vladimir Putin emphasized.

"Reverse engineering": Russians are going to copy trophy Western weapons

Putin also explained to Zarubin what Russian experts would do with the latest models of Western equipment and weapons captured during the fighting in Ukraine.

"There is an expression called reverse engineering. Well, let's see. After all, modern technology is modern. We have it," said the president of the aggressor country.

Supply of cluster munitions to Ukraine

The 2008 pact, known as the Convention on Cluster Munitions, was adopted by 123 countries, including a majority of the 28 NATO members. However, countries such as the United States, Russia, and Ukraine did not become parties to the convention. It is important to note that Russia is actively using cluster munitions in the war against Ukraine.

In December 2022, Ukraine asked the United States to provide it with cluster munitions for MLRS and artillery shells. At the time, the administration of US President Joe Biden was not ready to fulfill this request and was considering it.

In February 2023, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on Western allies to provide the country with cluster munitions.

Following Ukraine's initial request to the United States for cluster munitions, there was an expansion of the appeal. Kyiv specifically asked Washington for MK-20 aircraft cluster bombs with the intention of modifying them for use with drones. It was revealed that there was some level of support for Ukraine's request within the US Congress. However, the Biden administration strongly opposed the proposal as cluster munitions are banned by a 2008 international treaty.

Later, four members of the US Congress from the Republican Party called on the US President to send cluster munitions to Ukraine.

On June 30, media reported that the administration of US President Joe Biden is seriously considering the possibility of sending Ukraine cluster munitions, the use of which is controversial.

Human Rights Watch called on the administration of US President Joe Biden not to provide Ukraine with cluster munitions, warning of the danger to civilians.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock said that Germany is against sending cluster munitions to Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg commented on the potential supply of cluster munitions to Kyiv, noting that Ukraine is defending itself in an aggressive war.

The UN Human Rights Office in Geneva has responded to reports that the United States may provide cluster munitions to Ukraine by opposing such supplies.

Western media, citing their sources, report that the United States will begin to ship cluster munitions to Ukraine.

On July 7, the United States announced the transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine.

On July 13, General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, commander of the Tavria operational and strategic grouping, confirmed that Ukraine had received cluster munitions from the US.