The Biden administration is expected to announce Friday it’s providing Ukraine with controversial cluster munitions in a weapons package, U.S. officials told CBS News.
The decision to provide cluster munitions comes as Ukraine faces an ammunition shortfall in its slower-than-expected counteroffensive against dug-in Russian forces. The cluster munitions, which detonate dozens of submunitions called bomblets, could address ammunition concerns. The package is worth $800 million dollars, CBS News confirmed.
Ukraine has been asking for the weapons for months, but the U.S. has been reluctant to give them the munitions because of concerns about international unity. More than 100 countries ban cluster munitions because of potential harm unexploded bomblets can cause civilians during and after conflict.
Neither the U.S, Russia nor Ukraine ban the munitions, but U.S. law has restricted the transfer of cluster munitions if more than 1% of the bomblets they contain typically fail to explode — known as the “dud rate.” The president may waive this requirement.
Ukraine (and Russia) have been using Soviet-era cluster munitions since the start of the war. The US versions are more reliable (fewer unexploded bomblets) which should make things better not worse for civilian populations.