Putin: Russia has ‘sufficient stockpile’ of cluster bombs
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Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed in an interview published Sunday that Russia has a “sufficient stockpile” of cluster bombs and threatened to take “reciprocal action” if Ukraine used the munitions against his country. In the new interview, Putin made his first public comments in response to news that the United States delivered cluster munitions to…
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed in an interview published Sunday that Russia has a “sufficient stockpile” of cluster bombs and threatened to take “reciprocal action” if Ukraine used the munitions against his country.
In the new interview, Putin made his first public comments in response to news that the United States delivered cluster munitions to Ukraine, which the Pentagon confirmed last Thursday. The interview is set to air Sunday night, but the reporter teased clips from it on social media in advance of the broadcast.
Putin claimed his country has not used the weapon against Ukraine – despite strong evidence otherwise – but said Russia now “reserves the right to take reciprocal action” if Ukraine uses cluster bombs.
“Until now, we have not done this, we have not used it, and we have not had such a need,” Putin added.
The Associated Press and other organizations have documented the use of cluster munitions by Russian and Ukraine. The AP also noted that rounds of cluster munitions have been found at the site of Russian attacks.
Putin’s remarks come after President Biden said he made a “difficult,” but “necessary,” decision to supply Ukraine with the controversial weapon. Biden’s decision met fierce opposition, including from a faction of his own party and from humanitarian activists, who argue the shipments of the controversial weapons were unjustified and would lead to civilian deaths. More than 100 countries have banned cluster bombs, although the United States, Ukraine and Russia have not.
Cluster munitions are highly controversial weapons that open in the air and release smaller bombs, making them effective at targeting concentrated enemy troops. They can also pose a risk to nearby civilians, however, if the smaller bomblets do not go off right away. Ukraine has pledged only to use them away from civilians.
U.S. officials have described the weapon as a potential “game changer” in Ukraine’s counteroffensive attack against Russia’s invasion. Artillery ammunition has been running low in the country.
Ukrainian General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi said in a recent interview that cluster bombs could “radically change the battlefield,” as Russian minefields have hindered some of the momentum Ukraine had hoped to make.
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