Russian invasion of Ukraine, the dangers of cluster bombs

Human rights groups and observers say Russia is using cluster bombs in its invasion of Ukraine, a charge Moscow denies. If confirmed, the use of that weapon, especially in areas packed with civilians, would create new humanitarian concerns in the conflict, Europe’s biggest ground war in generations.

Those who seek to ban cluster bombs say they kill indiscriminately and endanger civilian lives after use. From Syria and Yemen to the Balkans, Afghanistan and Southeast Asia, unexploded cluster bombs continue to kill and maim people years and decades after they are dropped.

Although many countries have joined a global convention that limits their use, cluster munitions continue to be used in conflict zones around the world. Here’s a look at those weapons and why their use is so concerning:

What are cluster bombs?

Cluster bombs are weapons that burst open in the air, releasing submunitions that disperse over a wide area, with the aim of destroying multiple targets at once. They can be dropped by planes, artillery and missiles, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Aside from the initial damage caused by munitions on impact, they have a high failure-to-explode rate — up to 40% in recent conflicts, according to the Red Cross.

That leaves sections of land littered with submunitions that could go off. Returning to normal life in those areas becomes dangerous, particularly in densely populated areas. Some countries affected by wars in the past spend years trying to clear areas of cluster bombs.

Is using them a war crime?

The use of cluster bombs per se does not violate international law, but using them against civilians can be a violation. As in the case of any attack, determining a war crime requires examining whether the target was legitimate and whether precautions were taken to avoid civilian casualties.

“The part of international law where this begins to play a role is in the indiscriminate targeting of civilians,” said Human Rights Watch (HRW) associate director on weapons Mark Hiznay.

A convention to ban the use of cluster bombs has more than 120 signatory countries that have agreed not to use, produce, transfer or stockpile them and commit to clear them if they have been used.

Russia and Ukraine have not joined the convention. Neither does the United States.

Where have they been used?

These bombs have been used in many recent conflicts.

Syrian government troops have frequently used Russian-supplied cluster bombs against opposition strongholds during the civil war, often destroying civilian targets and infrastructure.

Israel has launched them in civilian areas in southern Lebanon, including the 1982 invasion.

During Israel’s 2006 month-long war against Hezbollah, HRW and the UN accused Israeli forces of firing up to four million cluster bombs into Lebanon. That has left unexploded ordnance that threatens Lebanese civilians to this day.