US prepares new batch of cluster munitions for Ukraine

The New York Times writes about this with reference to three American officials.

The newspaper notes that two months after the United States sent the first tranche of ammunition to Ukraine, three American officials said the Biden administration plans to send more, and soon.

One official said the weapons were key to helping Ukraine maintain the momentum its troops recently gained on the southern front against Russian forces. All three officials spoke on condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions.

Western officials and experts agree that cluster munitions are most effective against manpower and equipment in open terrain. So far, according to US officials, they have been used to strike Russian troop concentrations, artillery systems, air defense, ammunition depots, radar stations, and vehicles. Ukrainian reports show that there is a result.

Some experts point to specific battles where they believe cluster munitions helped. In particular, Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region, where Ukraine used them mainly for defense. One source told the NYT that the munitions were key to maintaining the momentum that the Ukrainian army had gained on the southern front

Many countries, especially in Europe, have bans on their use. Russia used cluster munitions on the territory of Ukraine, a state it invaded, including in civilian-populated areas, human rights activists reported.

In return, Ukraine, as a condition for receiving cluster munitions from the United States, promised to avoid using them where civilians could be affected.

Cluster munitions for 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 July 6, Human Rights Watch urged the Biden administration not to provide Ukraine with cluster munitions because of the danger to civilians posed by these weapons. 

On July 7, the UN Human Rights Office in Geneva opposed the supply of cluster munitions to Ukraine.

On the same day, the United States announced the transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine.