20 Russian mercenaries of the infamous Wagner group have entrenched themselves here in trenches and dugouts. Nevertheless, they are defenseless against the attack of the Ukrainians.
Drone video posted to Twitter on Nov. 16 shows the Ukrainian military using apparently banned Spanish cluster munitions in an attack on a Russian position about eight miles south of Bakhmut.
Unlike Russia and Ukraine, Spain is a signatory to the Cluster Munitions Convention. The international treaty prohibits the use, manufacture and transfer of conventional cluster munitions.
Mortier fires over 13,000 metal fragments
Four medium-sized explosions shake the position in the video, followed by 21 other smaller explosions in a radius of about 100 feet. Soon after, the Russian fighters are defeated, almost all of them dead.
The deadly weapon used here is called the MAT-120. The 120 millimeter mortar has a range of about five kilometers. Shortly before impact, the grenade splits into 21 smaller projectiles which explode in a circle, shooting 650 small pieces of metal.
This means that more than 13,000 metal splinters are spread over an area of more than 3,000 square meters per mortar. They puncture everything and cause massive damage.
Production stopped years ago
In the fierce confrontations between Ukrainians and Russians, the Ukrainians can now also use MAT-120 to cause great damage and thus stop the Russian advance.
The use of cluster munitions is likely a response to a change in Russian strategy. Kremlin forces are increasingly relying on “human waves” made up of mercenaries, ex-prisoners, reservists and conscripts from the occupied territories of Ukraine. They run to the Ukrainian positions. The Russians largely do without tanks or artillery.
MAT-120 was used in the civil war in Libya
It is unclear how the mortars ended up in Ukraine. Spain has not confirmed the export of the weapon. It has not been delivered since July 2008.
Russia has also used cluster munitions in its war of aggression against Ukraine. The Human Rights Watch organization pointed out in May that these weapons “cause immediate and long-term damage and suffering to the civilian population”. She calls on both warring parties not to use them.
94 percent of victims in countries where cluster munitions are used are not combatants. Most recently, the combat device made headlines in Libya’s civil war when it was used in the 2011 battle for Misrata.