The Russian minister said the country would be forced to respond in a reciprocal manner if Ukrainians used USsupplied ammunition
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday (July 11, 2023) that the country could be forced to “reciprocally respond” if the United States goes ahead with plans to supply cluster bombs to Ukrainians. The information comes from CNN.
Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, claimed in a Telegram post that the Ukrainian military is already using ammunition sent by the United States.
“It was reported that Tokmak was bombed with cluster munitions. “It means it’s time to unload our arsenals of these inhumane weapons,” Medvedev said. The city of Tokmak is nearby in the southern Zaporizhia region.
On Friday (July 7) the US confirmed it was sending cluster bombs to Ukraine as part of a US military aid package.
The decision came after months of debate in President Joe Biden’s administration over the possibility of supplying Kiev with this type of ammunition, which is banned in more than 100 countries.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told journalists that Russia had used this type of weapon to attack Ukraine since the beginning of the war and that the European country’s request had been met so that it could defend its territory. He also said the eastern European country had promised to use the munitions “wisely”.
- How cluster bombs work spreads explosives over an area of about 25,000 square meters and can remain active for decades, turning the affected regions into minefields.
Countries allied to the US opposed the US President’s decision, citing the 2008 convention that bans the manufacture and use of such munitions. A total of 123 nations have pledged not to manufacture or use the weapon.