Did Russia use banned cluster bombs in Ukraine attack?

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Reports Indicate Potential Use of Banned Cluster Munitions by Russian Forces in Ukraine

Human rights organisations have reported that Russian forces may have employed banned cluster munitions during attacks in Ukraine. Amnesty International specifically accused Russian forces of utilising cluster munitions in an assault on a preschool in northeastern Ukraine where civilians were sheltering. International humanitarian law strictly prohibits the use of inherently indiscriminate weapons like cluster munitions, and launching such attacks that result in civilian casualties is considered a war crime.
Allegations of Cluster Munition Use

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both stated that Russian forces appear to have used widely banned cluster munitions. These organisations are prominent in monitoring international law and human rights violations. The specific accusation against Russian forces by Amnesty International involves an attack on a preschool in northeastern Ukraine, where civilians were reportedly taking shelter at the time of the strike.
Prohibition Under International Humanitarian Law

International humanitarian law explicitly forbids the deployment of weapons that are inherently indiscriminate. Cluster munitions fall into this category due to their design, which disperses multiple submunitions over a wide area. The launching of indiscriminate attacks that lead to the death or injury of civilians is classified as a war crime under established international legal frameworks.
Broader Accusations of Weapon Use

Beyond cluster munitions, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, also stated that Russia had used a thermobaric weapon, commonly known as a vacuum bomb, during its invasion. A vacuum bomb functions by drawing in oxygen from the surrounding air to create a high-temperature explosion, generating a blast wave of extended duration and capable of causing significant destruction. While CNN reported spotting a Russian thermobaric multiple rocket launcher near the Ukrainian border, official confirmation of thermobaric weapon use in the conflict has not been established, and the White House has indicated it would investigate any such reports.

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Did Russia use banned cluster bombs in Ukraine attack?

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