The Biden administration said Friday it has agreed to ship cluster munitions to Ukraine that are designed to destroy armored vehicles and kill military personnel.
The Biden administration said Friday it has agreed to ship cluster munitions to Ukraine that are designed to destroy armored vehicles and kill military personnel.
The 155mm Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions artillery rounds will be included in the United States’ latest $800 million security assistance package to Ukraine.
Human rights groups have condemned the use of cluster rounds and more than 100 countries have banned their use, though the U.S., Russia and Ukraine did not sign that agreement. The munitions burst mid-flight, scattering explosive submunitions over a wide area.
Kyiv has assured the White House that its forces will not use the controversial munitions in areas where civilians are likely to encounter them, Pentagon officials said Friday.
“The Ukrainian government has offered us assurances in writing on the responsible use of DPICMs,” Colin Kahl, undersecretary of defense for policy, told reporters at the Pentagon. “They will not use them in civilian-populated environments and will record where they fire them.
