This move is part of another $800 million weapons package to Ukraine.
As the name implies, cluster bombs are bombs that explode and rain down a number of smaller bombs, but their accuracy is spotting and have a history of striking civilians, or do not implode until years later which could kill innocents; hence why they are banned by so many countries per a 15-year-old treaty. Russia and Ukraine have both reportedly used them on each other already.
Five days into the start of the conflict in 2022, Psaki responded to comments about Russia’s use of cluster bombs, to which she responded by saying, “We have seen the reports. If that were true, it would potentially be a war crime.”
The Pentagon has explicitly made it clear that they do not care about the ramifications, and have continued to emphasize that a victory in Ukraine at all costs is what’s important.
I’m as concerned about the humanitarian circumstance as anybody, but the worst thing for civilians in Ukraine is for Russia to win the war. And so it’s important that they don’t.
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl said on Friday
But even the United Nations has condemned the move, who have made an open shew of supporting Ukraine. A spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement:
[Guterres] supports the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which, as you know, was adopted 15 years ago. And he wants countries to abide by the terms of that convention.And so as a result, of course, he does not want there to be continued use of cluster munitions on the battlefield.
Farhan Haq told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York City
Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles also opposed the move today, stating:
Spain, based on the firm commitment it has with Ukraine, also has a firm commitment that certain weapons and bombs cannot be delivered under any circumstances.
No to cluster bombs and yes to the legitimate defense of Ukraine, which we understand should not be carried out with cluster bombs.
Russian officials have balked at the move, saying it will not deter or affect their operations, and calling the move just an act of desperation.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said today that Ukraine’s Western allies are “powerless” to make a real change on the frontlines.
[This is] yet another ‘Wunderwaffe’ [wonder weapon] Washington and Kiev are betting on, without thinking about the harsh consequences.Through the cluster munition deliveries, Washington de-facto becomes an accomplice in mining [Ukraine’s] territory and will share full responsibility for the deaths… of both Russian and Ukrainian children.
She added
Anatoly Antonov, Russian ambassador to the United States, added that these actions are only drawing nations closer towards “a new world war.”
Cluster munitions are a gesture of desperation. Such a measure speaks of the awareness of the United States and its satellites of their impotence.
They do not want to admit their own setbacks and the failure of the Ukrainian military’s attempts to carry out an offensive against the Russian regions. Therefore, they commit new acts of madness.
Scott Ritter, a former United Nations weapons specialist and inspector, commented on the move and states that the weapons being provided are old and not fit for use, which could lead to even more unnecessary causalities, and further notes they will do little to deter Russia.
The US government knows that most of the M864 shells being sent to Ukraine have exceeded their operational “use by” date and, as such, lack the reliability one would expect in times of war.
But the provision of artillery shells, whether conventional or DPICM, cannot alter the reality that the Ukrainian military lacks the capabilities necessary to successfully defeat the Russian defenses currently deployed against them. The M864 munition cannot offset Russia’s ten-fold superiority in artillery fire, and unchallenged supremacy in the air, where Russian fixed-wing and helicopter assets operate without meaningful opposition while breaking up Ukrainian attacks with precision fire.
The decision by the Biden administration to supply Ukraine with the M864 round is simply a callous continuation of a policy designed to prolong a conflict Ukraine cannot win, and which causes Ukraine to lose hundreds of men killed every day. It does nothing to alter the current trajectory of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, which as things currently stand points to a decisive Russian victory, an outcome the Biden administration is loath to accept.
He penned in an editorial
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.
Psalm 68:30
Once again, the United States is determined to spill the blood of as many innocents as possible, while continuously enriching the military industrial complex. Whatever they got to do to expand the war, they will.
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
The WinePress needs your support! If God has laid it on your heart to want to contribute, please prayerfully consider donating to this ministry. If you cannot gift a monetary donation, then please donate your fervent prayers to keep this ministry going! Thank you and may God bless you.
Ukraine has already been using cluster bombs against the civilian population of the Donbass since the start of the conflict in 2014. These people are ethnic Russians against whom the Ukrainian Regime has been conducting a genocide. I have seen video evidence of this since I started to follow events shortly after the start of the SMO in February 2022.
These cluster bombs contain ‘fleshetts’ – which are like little arrows which rip through human flesh, little metal balls and Butterfly mines. The cannisters explode and release hundreds of these projectiles or bombs.
The butterfly mines are small green or brown butterfly shaped objects which explode when someone stands on them. They are camouflaged so can be easily stepped on, especially in grass or among leaves. Many children and adults have lost limbs or died because of these devices. I have seen the evidence of this in videos taken by independent journalist, Patrick Lancaster. The Western Media do not report on what is going on in Eastern Ukraine / now Russia, because it would damage their narrative and that of Western Governments, who are using Ukraine as a proxy to fight against Russia.
The Ukrainian military shells Donetsk city and villages near to the front line every day and has done so for 9 years, since the US backed Coup D’état, which installed a puppet government controlled by the US. Victoria Nuland, was in Ukraine at the forefront of this coup, under the Obama/Biden administration.
Russia eventually entered the country – in an attempt to force the Zelensky Regime to negotiate and it appeared to work, as Ukraine agreed to attend negotiations in Istanbul in March 2022. They even signed a provisional agreement to the terms of the negotiations. Then the US and UK governments pressured Zelensky to withdraw from any agreements made and continue the war – and that they would supply all the weapons, equipment and finance needed. Boris Johnston even went personally to Kiev to order Zelensky to back off. This, along with sanctions placed on all things Russian (11 rounds in all) was ultimately designed to bring about Regime change in Moscow, install a puppet government and eventually take over the country and plunder its resources. It failed.
The Western Governments / NATO have now run out of weapons and ammunition to give to Ukraine – and are resorting to cluster ammunition – of which they have large stockpiles. The UK and US have already sent depleted Uranium shells – which Kiev would use against the civilian populations of the Donbass, causing death, cancer, birth defects and contamination of the soil for decades to come as has been the case in Iraq and Serbia. However, it is possible that Russia tracked these down and destroyed them in storage.
Contrary to propaganda ‘reports’, Russia has NOT used these cluster bombs in Ukraine.
The region of conflict is in the Eastern part of Ukraine called the Donbass, comprising the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions, whose Ethnic Russian population have overwhelmingly voted in a referendum – for the second time – to be part of the Russian Federation, just as the people of Crimea have already done. The people living there are those whom the Russian Military are there fighting to protect from the genocide being waged upon them by the Kiev Regime.
However, if the Ukrainian side use these US supplied weapons – which they undoubtedly will – then Russia will respond. They will however, unlike Ukraine, not use them in any way which would endanger civilians. If they use them, it will be against advancing Ukrainian infantry forces. Ukraine launches them IN towns and villages. The sad thing is – some of these Ukrainian ‘soldiers’ have been forcibly conscripted – abducted from the streets – and forced to fight on the front line with hardly any training. They are being used as cannon fodder.
The western media have throughout this conflict lied about everything to make Ukraine look like the victim of the Russian aggressor. They basically report Kiev’s talking points – which is is NOT the truth. The ‘atrocities’ and war crimes, including the large scale destruction of cities, have been done by the Ukrainian Military – particularly the Nazi regiments – and then blamed on the Russians. I have seen dozens of videos, where the civilians living in these places unanimously testify that Ukraine is responsible – not Russia for these crimes. This is true of the ‘Bucha Massacre’ (which was a staged event for which there are eyewitnesses) and other such incidents. They also testify that Ukrainian forces shell or bomb a civilian area, village or city as they are leaving it, in order to blame Russia for the destruction. It is also a ‘scorched earth’ tactic: ‘if we can’t control it – then we destroy it.’
The surviving citizens of Bakhmut now Artemovsk clearly describe how Ukraine destroyed by explosive devices residential apartments – with people hiding in the basements – immediately prior to a Western / Ukrainian TV crew arriving – so that they could film the destruction and blame Russian troops – who were still a long way off from the city. They also spoke of their children being abducted!!
You nailed it in both of your comments. Most people are clueless and willfully ignorant to all of this. I’ve reported on eyewitness testimonies about this and the brutality of the Ukrainians, and their neo-Nazism, and “evil Russia” keeps taking the fall for it all.