During the six months of the war in Ukraine, the Russian armed forces used at least two new types of cluster munitions and used them several hundred times against the civilian population. This is stated in the report of the Coalition on cluster munitions (Cluster munition monitor), published by Human Rights Watch.. It will be presented to countries participating in the 10th annual meeting of the Convention on Cluster Munitions at the UN in Geneva from 30 August to 2 September.

Annual Report Documents Russia's Widespread Use of Cluster Munitions Against Civilians Following Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine on February 24. It caused hundreds of deaths and damaged homes, hospitals and schools..

“During 2021-2022, Russia continued to produce new cluster munitions, its armed forces used both previously produced and at least two new types of cluster munitions in Ukraine in 2022,” the message says..

Preliminary figures show at least 689 civilian casualties from cluster munitions in the first half of 2022 alone. This is 300% more than in 2021. At the same time, this figure can be much higher, because in the midst of the hot phase of the war it is impossible to quickly receive and process the relevant information..

“Russia’s widespread use in Ukraine of internationally banned cluster munitions demonstrates a clear disregard for human life, humanitarian principles and the rule of law,” said Mary Warehem, Cluster Munition Monitor 2022 Ban Policy Editor and Human Rights Watch (HRW) Director of Human Rights Advocacy..

The report emphasizes that Ukraine is now the only country in the world on whose territory cluster munitions are used in hostilities.. In the rest of the countries, governments, with varying degrees of activity, are disposing of the remnants of such munitions..

During the six months of the war, Russia used cluster munitions in 10 of 24 regions of Ukraine. In turn, the Ukrainian army used such shells at least three times - in the Donetsk, Kharkiv and Kherson regions, the authors of the document write..

In 2021, 149 new cluster munition casualties were reported worldwide: 59 killed and 90 injured. All incidents were caused by remnants of cluster munitions at the sites of former battles. The vast majority of those injured and killed were civilians.. Two-thirds of those affected by remnants of ammunition are children. According to the results of the study, in the last year the number of victims of cluster bombs has decreased, in 2022 this achievement will be leveled due to the war in Ukraine.

Cluster munitions can be fired from artillery, rockets and mortars, or dropped from aircraft. They usually open in the air, scattering several bombs over a wide area.. Many do not burst immediately, so they can maim and kill residents over the years until they are rendered harmless and destroyed..

The 2008 Cluster Munitions Convention, which has been ratified by 110 countries and signed by 13 more, completely bans this type of weapon.

Russia actively used cluster bombs during the war in Syria.

In the intercepts of the Ukrainian special services in 2022, it was recorded that the Russian invaders confirm the use of phosphorus and cluster weapons in the war against Ukraine.

In 2014, Human Rights Watch accused Ukraine of using cluster munitions. At that time, the Ukrainian authorities supported a transparent investigation, as they stated that they did not resort to the use of prohibited types of ammunition..