American cluster munitions have been provided to Kiev, but experts and US officials believe that these weapons will have limited impact on the frontlines in the short term, according to the New York Times. Former US officials and military analysts argue that the ammunition will not immediately improve Ukraine’s offensive capabilities, but rather help them sustain the fight due to a shortage of ammunition. Jack Watling, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London, suggests that the scale of the effect will be modest until Ukraine acquires more ammunition. Colin Kahl, the US undersecretary of defense for policy, acknowledges that the cluster bombs will only enable Ukraine to continue the artillery fight for the foreseeable future.
Analysts predict that Ukraine will use cluster munitions to maintain a high rate of artillery fire as they shift from Western combined-arms tactics to Soviet-style heavy artillery shelling of Russian positions. This change in tactics reflects the Ukrainian military’s disillusionment with previous approaches that resulted in heavy losses. Western advisers had previously touted synchronized attacks involving infantry, tanks, and artillery as superior tactics. The Times reports that senior US officials privately expressed frustration with the shift towards an artillery duel strategy, deeming it less efficient and more costly.
Despite the skepticism surrounding the use of cluster munitions, the Biden administration hopes the Ukrainian brigades trained by the US and its allies will continue to employ combined arms tactics to demonstrate the superiority of the “American way of warfare.” US undersecretary of defense for policy, Colin Kahl, acknowledges that the Ukrainian offensive has been slower than expected but maintains that the Ukrainian military still possesses significant combat power.
The specific details of how Kiev intends to use the cluster munitions provided by the US have not been disclosed by American and Ukrainian military officials. It is worth noting that cluster munitions have been banned by more than 110 nations under a UN convention due to the danger they pose to civilians. These munitions disperse small bomblets that may not detonate upon impact, endangering civilians long after a conflict has ceased. The cluster munitions provided to Ukraine consist of 155-millimeter artillery shells fired by howitzers, which release 72 small grenades upon reaching their targets.
The decision to supply Ukraine with cluster munitions has attracted criticism from the UN and US allies such as the UK, Canada, Spain, and Austria. These nations have expressed concerns about the humanitarian consequences of using these weapons. Both Russia and Ukraine have reportedly utilized cluster munitions during the ongoing conflict. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has specifically requested this type of ammunition to breach Russian defenses.
In response to the US supplying cluster munitions to Ukraine, Russia has condemned the move, stating that it will not affect the battlefield but will have dire consequences for civilians. Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has warned that Russia may be compelled to use equivalent weapons in response.
The provision of cluster munitions to Ukraine raises concerns about the humanitarian impact and escalation of the conflict. The limited immediate impact of these weapons on the frontlines suggests that they may only serve to prolong the conflict rather than lead to decisive military gains. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how these cluster munitions will be used and their long-term implications for the conflict in Ukraine.
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