How Goes Ukraine's Counteroffensive With Cluster Bombs?

"They are using them appropriately."

"They're using them effectively and they are actually having an impact on Russia's defensive formations and Russia's defensive manoeuvring."

"I think I can leave it at that." 

U.S. National Security Spokesman John Kirby

 

"[Ukrainian forces need the weapons to] inflict maximum damage on enemy infantry."

"We'd like to get very fast results, but in reality it's practically impossible. The more infantry who die here, the more their relatives back in Russia will ask their government 'why?'"  

"[Cluster munitions would not] solve all our problems." 

"[Their use was controversial, but]: If the Russians didn't use them, perhaps conscience would not allow us to do it too."

General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander, Ukrainian eastern operations 

A Russian bomblet fired in Kharkiv earlier in the war   Reuters

"We were filming the Ukrainian army during target practice when suddenly we heard several explosions."

"We lay down, more explosions followed, we saw people were wounded. "

"Later, the Ukrainian army confirmed that we had been fired at with cluster munitions."

DW correspondent Mathias Bölinger, Saturday, July 22, 2023

Ukraine is putting U.S.-provided cluster munitions to work against Russian forces in south-eastern Ukraine with the intention of making some headway in plans to break up the well-fortified Russian positions responsible for slowing Ukraine's summer offensive. President Joe Biden made the "difficult decision" to order delivery of the widely banned munitions, giving human rights groups, European allies and some Democrats reason to criticize the move, with the risk to civilians uppermost of concern.

 

Referring to cluster munitions, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened retaliation "if they are used against us", irrespective of the witnessed reality of Russia having previously used cluster munitions in populated areas of Ukraine on an estimated 24 occasions since the beginning of the February 24, 2022 invasion by Moscow; a number verified by the United Nations. 

 

And sure enough, a DW cameraman was injured Saturday by shrapnel from Russian cluster munitions that also killed a Ukrainian soldier and wounded several others near the town of Druzhkivka, in the eastern Donetsk region.

 

Outlawed in over 120 countries, cluster bombs explode while airborne over a target, releasing dozens to hundreds of small bomblets across a wide area. Children in particular become vulnerable when the submunitions fail to explode until a much later date when curious children come across them lying in a field and pick them up. Which is when they explode with disastrous consequences, either for the child or for an unaware farmer working in his fields.

 

The cluster munitions will likely be used near the Russian-controlled city of Bakhmut, in addition to front line positions in southeast Ukraine. For its part, Russia has densely mined its strongholds in the east and south with anti-tank and antipersonnel mines and trip wires in areas between three and ten miles in depth. Leading to successful defences, stalling Ukraine's counteroffensive, now a month in operation.

 

According to a Ukrainian official, the munitions have been fired at Russian positions for the purpose of breaking up the trenches that have been detaining Ukrainian forces from its intention to retake territory. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that the cluster munitions were to provide a "bridging capability" to apply pressure on the Russians until such time as Western arms production picks up and further resupplies to Ukraine can once again commence.

 

The Ukrainian counter-offensive has been slower than many hoped  Magnum photos