Moscow will use its stockpile if Ukraine deploys the widely-banned munitions first, Putin said.
President Vladimir Putin said Russia had a "sufficient stockpile" of cluster bombs and reserved the right to use them if such munitions, the use of which he said he regarded as a crime, were deployed against Russian forces in Ukraine.
Ukraine said on Thursday it had received cluster bombs from the United States
this is like an announcement to the russian people who don't really know what is going on in Ukraine. That's why he still has 80% support, most russians are fooled by state tv and think all the info on the internet is western propaganda when actually only 23% of it is.
From what I understand Putin is using a stricter definition of "cluster bombs" as a muntition containing a bomblets submunition.
I have seen of Russian videos munitions are hypersonic missiles, thermobaric bombs (incendiary submunition), and timed remote mine submunitions (a timed self-destruct feature or one that turns it inert after a while) but none utilizing a pressure fuse like the butterfly mines that were used by Ukraine.
They are terrible weapons regardless of definition
Even if it was just pure anti-personnel clusters, we have evidence of that far back in 2022. So even then he would be lying. For example there is photo graphic evidence from the bomb disposal teams in Ukraine of 9N24 submunition. Which is soviet pure anti-personnel submunition for their cluster dispensers. It has no other purpose. It isn't even dual use dumb HEAT/FRAG submunition. 9N24 is pure fragmentations anti-personnel round with simple contact fuse. Hit's ground, the explosive core along the main cylinder shaped munition explodes and well the whole outside wall is lined with steel balls to be thrown in 360 all around.
Similarly 9N210 HE/FRAG munitions have been documented. Again useless against armored targets, only use case is against soft targets like humans. As have 9N235 again HE/FRAG sub munitions been documented.
All same purpose, just little different sized and exact design for different dispensers. Some those might theoretically have fuses with self destruct. However the whole point about cluster munitions being bad is fuses fail, including supposed self-destruct fuses. There is no such thing as 100% reliable fuse, even self destruct one.
My source: Armaments Research Services articles on the subject. I'm sure there is bunch of other more official sources also, including listing more individual incidents and attacks. ARES are just convenient source here, since they are interested the weapons technologies and types used in conflicts, so they have bunch of articles of "This specific type of submunitions has now been seen in Ukraine".
They already used them and already committed countless war crimes.
The people claiming Ukraine is committing crime were just distracted when Russia used them on civilians? Anyways the Ukrainian Government already stated that they will not be used in towns and cities but only to clear minefields
Distracted? I dunno. Russian propagandists/bots seems more likely.
Even at the bar I tend, filled with "conservatives" that think Donald was cheated out of the election, there isn't anyone who believes Russia is in the right.
From what I read the main purpose of cluster munitions is for offensive maneuvers, so my hope is Russia will be too busy (and unsuccessful) holding their frontlines to make effective use of them.
We really need to lift all restrictions for Ukraine on the use of weapons they're being given. Let them rain horror on the Russian people, and see how fast the country turns against putin and his regime. Otherwise this war will drag on forever.
Bombing Russian civilians will not hasten the end of the war and could very possibly strengthen public support putin. Also let's encourage even more war crimes than are already happening.
No, let them rain horror down on Russian invaders inside their country. Using these in Russia will mean the west won't send them anymore and will cut off aid, and Biden and NATO have said as much.
We really need to lift all restrictions for Ukraine on the use of weapons theyâre being given
yes, attacking valid military targets within internationally recognized russian borders like weapon depots, troop staging grounds and so on would be useful operationally (if perhaps not strategically, because it gives russians push to adapt at least). however
Let them rain horror on the Russian people, and see how fast the country turns against putin and his regime. Otherwise this war will drag on forever.
attacking civilians is counterproductive if you want to turn them against current govt