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Senior military officials from the two countries said Thursday that Ukraine’s armed forces have received cluster munitions promised by the United States to help bolster Kiev’s slow-moving counter-offensive.
“We just got them, we haven’t used them yet, but they can radically change (the battlefield),” Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Tarnavsky told CNN.
The United States said last week it would send cluster munitions to Ukraine to help it fight against invading Russian forces, despite concerns about the long-term danger posed to civilians by unexploded bomblets.
“The enemy also understands that by obtaining this ammunition, we will have an advantage,” Tarnavsky said, adding that Ukrainian forces will not deploy weapons in densely populated areas.
Lieutenant General Douglas Sims later confirmed the story, saying that “cluster munitions are in Ukraine”.
Asked about the slower-than-expected pace of progress in Ukraine’s counter-offensive, he told reporters that “This is a tough war, it’s in really rough terrain, it’s under fire.”
“When you think about all of that, it’s pretty cool.”
US President Joe Biden said the decision to provide cluster munitions was “very difficult” but stressed that Ukraine needed additional munitions to refill its depleted stockpiles.
The controversial weapons are banned by many countries – particularly in Europe – that are signatories to the 2008 Oslo Accords, to which Russia, the United States or Ukraine are no longer parties.
The Kremlin said it would take “countermeasures” if Ukraine deployed the weapon against its own forces.
“We just got them, we haven’t used them yet, but they can radically change (the battlefield),” Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Tarnavsky told CNN.
The United States said last week it would send cluster munitions to Ukraine to help it fight against invading Russian forces, despite concerns about the long-term danger posed to civilians by unexploded bomblets.
“The enemy also understands that by obtaining this ammunition, we will have an advantage,” Tarnavsky said, adding that Ukrainian forces will not deploy weapons in densely populated areas.
Lieutenant General Douglas Sims later confirmed the story, saying that “cluster munitions are in Ukraine”.
Asked about the slower-than-expected pace of progress in Ukraine’s counter-offensive, he told reporters that “This is a tough war, it’s in really rough terrain, it’s under fire.”
“When you think about all of that, it’s pretty cool.”
US President Joe Biden said the decision to provide cluster munitions was “very difficult” but stressed that Ukraine needed additional munitions to refill its depleted stockpiles.
The controversial weapons are banned by many countries – particularly in Europe – that are signatories to the 2008 Oslo Accords, to which Russia, the United States or Ukraine are no longer parties.
The Kremlin said it would take “countermeasures” if Ukraine deployed the weapon against its own forces.
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