Biden justifies delivery of controversial cluster bombs to Kiev: “Ukraine is out of ammunition – and we are running out of it”

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It was with a heavy heart that he decided to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine. That says US President Joe Biden (80) in an interview with CNN that will be broadcast on Sunday. He made the decision because Kiev and Washington no longer have normal ammunition – and because Ukraine needs more fighting power at the front.

“This is a war over ammunition. And they are out of ammunition and we are out of ammunition.” He eventually accepted the Pentagon’s recommendation. Ukraine will receive these weapons during a transitional period.

Biden: “It was a very difficult decision for me.” But “the Ukrainians are running out of ammunition.”

Biden: Cluster bombs strengthen Ukraine’s power

Biden emphasizes that cluster munitions are also needed to increase the combat power of the Ukrainian counteroffensive. “The most important thing is that they now have the weapons to stop the Russians.” He thinks that the Ukrainians “need” these weapons.

The cluster bombs supplied to Ukraine by the US are compatible with the 155mm howitzers also supplied by Washington. This vital artillery had enabled Ukraine to retake territory over the past year.

Biden emphasizes that the cluster munitions will be shipped as a “temporary fix” until the US is able to produce enough 155mm shells.

Sharp criticism from Moscow

The Kremlin has yet to respond to Washington’s turn to supply such weapons. Grigory Karasin (73), chairman of the international affairs committee in the Russian Federation Council, promised a harsh response in a first statement on Friday. Karasin spoke to Ria Novosti news agency about a “new step towards escalation around Ukraine, which will be met with a very harsh response”.

Controversial Random Killers

Cluster bombs were first used in World War II. During the Vietnam War, the Americans relied on so-called “daisy cutters”, which are detonated in the air and scatter hundreds of sub-munitions over large areas. The sub-munition consists of small mini-bombs.

Many of them do not explode immediately and remain on the ground, posing a threat to civilians long after the conflict is over. According to the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch, the proportion of unexploded submunitions is around seven percent.

People in former Indochina are still dying from such explosives lying dormant in the ground. Ukraine has accused Russia of using cluster bombs since the war began in February last year.

Source: Blick