By sending cluster bombs to Ukraine, the US admits to war crimes.
(Baonghean.vn) - The Russian Embassy stated that the US has indeed admitted to committing war crimes in Ukraine.
According to Anatoly Antonov, the Russian ambassador to the US, Washington has admitted to committing war crimes in Ukraine by agreeing to send cluster bombs to Kyiv.
According to Ambassador Antonov, John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications at the US National Security Council, while defending President Joe Biden's decision, also stated that the controversial shipment was to "compensate" for the US's insufficient supply of ammunition to the Ukrainian military.
“We take note of the statement by the National Security Council’s Director of Strategic Communications, John Kirby, regarding the supply of cluster bombs to Ukraine. This official has, in effect, admitted that the U.S. committed war crimes in the conflict in Ukraine. He publicly stated that civilians would be killed by American cluster bombs,” the Russian Embassy in the U.S. said.
On July 7, the Pentagon announced a new military aid package for Ukraine, which for the first time included 155mm artillery shells. These cluster bombs are banned under an international convention ratified by 123 countries. However, the US and Ukraine are not among those countries.
The New York Times describes cluster bombs as bombs containing dozens to hundreds of smaller bombs (also called submunitions) inside. The bomb will explode at a predetermined altitude, depending on the target area, and the submunitions will detonate around that target.
These cluster bombs can be dropped from aircraft, launched from missiles, or fired from artillery, naval guns, or rocket launchers. These submunitions can destroy tanks, military equipment, and enemy personnel, and attack multiple targets simultaneously.
In an interview with CNN on July 9, US President Joe Biden asserted that Ukraine was running out of ammunition, and that the decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine, a weapon capable of killing many civilians, was a "very difficult" one.
However, Washington said it had received assurances from Ukraine. Kyiv committed to reducing the risk to civilians and not using cluster bombs in densely populated areas.
