Moscow, Jul. 16, (dpa/GNA) - Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin has threatened to retaliate with cluster bombs if Ukraine uses these US-supplied munitions against his forces, according to a television clip released by Russian state television on Sunday.
“I want to say that Russia has sufficient reserves of various types of cluster munitions,” said Putin, who ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year.
Russia does not want to use the internationally outlawed munitions, he stated. ”But of course, if it is used against us, then we reserve the right to take congruent actions.”
Earlier, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu made similar comments.
Human rights activists accuse Russian and Ukrainian forces of already using cluster bombs. Putin denied this, even though he admitted that for a time there was a “known shortage of the ammunition” on the Russian side.
The Russian president accused the United States of providing the controversial cluster munitions because the West was no longer able to supply Ukraine with sufficient conventional weapons.
“They have found nothing better than to propose the use of cluster munitions,” Putin said.
With the cluster munitions that have arrived, Ukraine hopes to accelerate its major offensive to retake its own territories in the east and south.
The bombs, which explode above the ground, spread projectiles over larger areas. Because many of them often do not explode immediately, they, like mines, are considered a danger to civilians even after hostilities have ended.
Germany and 110 other countries have outlawed them under an international treaty, but neither the US nor Ukraine or Russia have signed that treaty.
GNA