Editing Cluster munition (section)

===Russian invasion of Ukraine, 2022===
{{see also|Use of cluster munitions in the Russian invasion of Ukraine|War crimes in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Attacks on civilians in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine}}
[[File:Iskander-M ballistic missile with cluster warhead wreckage 02.jpg|thumb|Iskander-M ballistic missile with cluster warhead wreckage that was shot down over [[Kramatorsk]] by the Ukrainian air defenses.]]
Human Rights Watch reported the use of cluster munitions by the [[Russian Armed Forces]] during the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|2022 invasion of Ukraine]]. HRMMU reported 16 credible allegations that Russian armed forces used cluster munitions in
populated areas, resulting in civilian casualties and other damage.<ref name="HRMMU_Report_March"/>

On 24 February 2022, a Russian 9M79-series [[OTR-21 Tochka|Tochka]] ballistic missile with a 9N123 cluster munition warhead containing 50 [[9N24]] fragmentation submunitions impacted outside a hospital in [[Vuhledar]] in [[Donetsk Oblast]], Ukraine. The attack killed four civilians and wounded ten.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/02/25/ukraine-russian-cluster-munition-hits-hospital|title=Ukraine: Russian Cluster Munition Hits Hospital|work=Human Rights Watch|date=25 February 2022|access-date=27 February 2022}}</ref> Further use of cluster munitions, such as the [[BM-27 Uragan|Uragan]] 9M27K and [[BM-30 Smerch]] 9M55K cluster rockets, is being investigated by [[Bellingcat]] through a public appeal for evidence on [[Twitter]].<ref>{{cite tweet|user=bellingcat|number=1497523559647920130|date=February 26, 2022|access-date=February 27, 2022|title=We are seeking images of Uragan 9M27K and Smerch 9M55K cluster rocket and their submunitions from the current fighting in Ukraine, as well as videos of suspected cluster munition attacks.}}</ref> According to HRW and Amnesty International, Russian troops used cluster munition during an attack on the city of [[Okhtyrka]] on the morning of 25 February 2022.<ref name="HRMMU_Report_March"/> A 220&nbsp;mm Uragan rocket dropped cluster munitions on a kindergarten in the town. As a result of that, people were killed, including a child.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/02/ukraine-cluster-munitions-kill-child-and-two-other-civilians-taking-shelter-at-a-preschool/|title=Ukraine: Cluster munitions kill child and two other civilians taking shelter at a preschool|work=Amnesty International|date=27 February 2022|access-date=28 February 2022}}</ref> The same day, non-precision guided missiles bearing cluster munitions were deployed against Kharkiv, killing at least nine civilians and injuring 37.<ref name="HRMMU_Report_March"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/60591017 |title=Anatomy of an attack: Is Russia using cluster bombs in Ukraine? |first1=Josh |last1=Cheetham |first2=Kayleen |last2=Devlin |first3=Jack |last3=Goodman |first4=Maria |last4=Korenyuk |work=[[BBC News]] |date=3 March 2022}}</ref>

The United Nations [[Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights|High Commissioner for Human Rights]] announced on 30 March 2022 that they had credible reports indicating that Russian armed forces had used cluster munitions in populated areas of Ukraine at least 24 times since the start of the conflict on 24 February.<ref>[https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/03/1115092 "Ukraine war: Russia used cluster weapons at least 24 times, says UN's Bachelet," UN News]</ref><ref name="HRMMU_Report_March">{{cite report |url=https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/HRMMU_Update_2022-03-26_EN.pdf |title=HRMMU Update on the human rights situation in Ukraine, 24 February – 26 March 2022 |date=28 March 2022 |publisher=[[UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine]]}}</ref>

In early March 2022, [[The New York Times]] reported the first use of a cluster munition by Ukrainian troops during [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|the invasion]] near Husarivka farm. It landed close to the Russian army's headquarters. According to the report, nobody died in that strike.<ref name=":12">{{Cite news |last1=Gibbons-Neff |first1=Thomas |last2=Ismay |first2=John |date=2022-04-18 |title=To Push Back Russians, Ukrainians Hit a Village With Cluster Munitions |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/18/world/europe/ukraine-forces-cluster-munitions.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-01-19 |issn=0362-4331 |oclc=1645522 |archive-date=2022-04-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422054032/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/18/world/europe/ukraine-forces-cluster-munitions.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:P20220314CS-0175 (52027842782).jpg|thumb|On 28 February 2022, White House press secretary [[Jen Psaki]] called Russia's use of cluster munitions a potential "war crime".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nichols |first1=John |title=Cluster Bombs Are "War-Crime" Weapons |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/cluster-bombs-ukraine-biden-congress/ |work=The Nation |date=10 July 2023}}</ref>]]
On 14 March 2022, [[March 2022 Donetsk attack|an attack with a Tochka-U missile]] equipped with cluster sub-munitions was reported in the city of [[Donetsk]]. HRMMU confirmed at least 15 civilian deaths, and 36 injured in this incident, and at the time of its report was working to corroborate other alleged casualties and whether they were caused by cluster sub-munitions.<ref name="HRMMU_Report_March"/>

On 7 December 2022, it was revealed that Ukraine was seeking access to US stockpiles of cluster munitions, due to a shortage of ammunition for HIMARS type and 155&nbsp;mm artillery systems. The US has stockpiled its cluster munitions and had been considering the Ukrainian request. Ukraine claimed it would give them an edge over Russian artillery, as well as preventing depletion of other US and Western stocks.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/07/politics/ukraine-cluster-munitions-us-war-russia/index.html |title= Exclusive: Biden administration weighs Ukrainian requests for access to US stockpile of controversial cluster munitions |author= Natasha Bertrand, Alex Marquardt and Zachary Cohen |publisher=[[CNN]]|date=7 December 2022 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref>

On 6 July 2023, US president [[Joe Biden]] approved the provision of [[Dual-purpose improved conventional munition|DPICM]] cluster munitions to Ukraine to help Ukrainian forces with the ongoing [[2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive|counteroffensive]] to liberate Russian-[[Russian annexation of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts|occupied]] southeastern Ukraine, bypassing US law prohibiting the transfer of cluster munitions with a failure rate greater than one percent.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/07/06/biden-cluster-bombs-ukraine/ |title=Biden approves cluster munition supply to Ukraine |date=6 July 2023 |last1=DeYoung |first1=Karen |last2=Horton |first2=Alex |last3=Ryan |first3=Missy |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=6 July 2023}}</ref> The weapon system could be used in both [[HIMARS]] and [[155&nbsp;mm]] shell projectiles. Defense Department official [[Laura Cooper]] said that the munitions "would be useful, especially against dug-in Russian positions on the battlefield."<ref>{{cite news |title=U.S. actively considering giving cluster munitions to Ukraine |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/29/cluster-munitions-for-ukraine-under-active-consideration-by-u-s-00104346 |work=Politico |date=29 June 2023}}</ref> According to the Pentagon, Ukraine will receive an "improved" version of cluster munitions with a failure rate of about 2 percent, while the Russian cluster bombs fail at 40 percent or more.<ref name =nyt202307>{{Cite news |last1=Sanger |first1=David E. |last2=Schmitt |first2=Eric |date=2023-07-06 |title=Biden Weighs Giving Ukraine Weapons Banned by Many U.S. Allies |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/06/us/politics/biden-ukraine-cluster-bombs.html |access-date=2023-07-07 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> However, according to a report prepared for Congress, experts in cleanup operations "have frequently reported failure rates of 10% to 30%."<ref>{{cite news |title=The US says the cluster bombs it's giving Ukraine fail less than 3% of the time. Experience suggests the real number is far higher. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/cluster-bombs-us-ukraine-fail-30-percent-of-the-time-2023-7 |work=Business Insider |date=8 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Cluster Weapons U.S. Is Sending Ukraine Often Fail to Detonate |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/07/us/cluster-weapons-duds-ukraine.html |work=The New York Times |date=7 July 2023}}</ref> The failure rate of cluster munitions used by Ukraine is reportedly as high as 20 percent.<ref>{{cite news |title=Controversy surrounds US decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine |url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4085887-ukraine-russia-us-cluster-munitions-controversy/ |work=The Hill |date=7 July 2023}}</ref> Paul Hannon, of the [[Cluster Munition Coalition]] (CMC), said the Biden administration's decision will "contribute to the terrible casualties being suffered by Ukrainian civilians both immediately and for years to come".<ref name="cluster-2023"/>

On 10 July, Cambodian Prime Minister [[Hun Sen]] warned Ukraine of using cluster munitions on Twitter writing: "It would be the greatest danger for Ukrainians for many years or up to a hundred years if cluster bombs are used in Russian-occupied areas in the territory of Ukraine," Sen further cited his country's "painful experience" from the [[Vietnam War]] that has killed or maimed tens of thousands of Cambodians.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ukraine should shun US cluster bombs, learn from Cambodia's 'painful experience': PM Hun Sen|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3227129/ukraine-should-shun-us-cluster-bombs-learn-cambodias-painful-experience-pm-hun-sen|work=South China Morning Post |date=10 July 2023}}</ref>

On the same day, the [[Royal United Services Institute]] (RUSI) released a study citing the use of cluster munitions from the Vietnam War. [[United States Army]] studies from that war showed that it takes approximately 13.6 high explosive shells for each enemy soldier killed. A shell firing [[DPICM]]s relied on average only 1.7 shells to kill an enemy soldier. RUSI used an example of a trench, a direct hit by a high explosive round will spread shrapnel "within line of sight of the point of detonation". This also reduces the wear and tear on the barrels of 155&nbsp;mm artillery weapons systems.<ref>{{cite news |title=Giving Ukraine Cluster Munitions is Necessary, Legal and Morally Justified|url=https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/giving-ukraine-cluster-munitions-necessary-legal-and-morally-justified#:~:text=Cluster%20munitions%20would%20be%20valuable,mass%20emplacement%20of%20unmarked%20minefields. |publisher=Royal United Services Institute| author1= Dr Jack Watling |author2=Professor Justin Bronk  |date=10 July 2023}}</ref>

On 16 July 2023, Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] claimed that Russia had "sufficient stockpiles" of its own cluster munitions and threatened to take "reciprocal action" if Ukraine used US-supplied cluster munitions against Russian forces in Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ukraine war: Vladimir Putin threatens cluster bomb retaliation if weapons used against Russian forces |url=https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-vladimir-putin-threatens-cluster-bomb-retaliation-if-weapons-used-against-russian-forces-12921775 |work=Sky News |date=16 July 2023}}</ref>

On 20 July 2023, ''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported that Ukrainian forces had begun to use US-supplied cluster munitions against Russian forces in the south-east of the country, according to Ukrainian officials.<ref>{{cite news| last1 = Hudson| first1 = John| last2 = Khurshudyan| first2 = Isabelle| title = Ukraine begins firing U.S.-provided cluster munitions at Russian forces| newspaper = [[Washington Post]]| date = 20 July 2023| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/20/cluster-munitions-ukraine-war-russia/| access-date = 21 July 2023}}</ref>