For the second year in a row, Ukraine recorded the highest number of deaths from cluster munitions. Specialists of the human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) came to this conclusion.
Points of attention
- Ukraine is the leader in the number of victims from cluster munitions in the world for 2022-2024.
- In total, more than 1,000 people have died from the bursting of cluster munitions since the beginning of the war.
- Cluster munitions are dangerous due to the possibility of damaging many objects at the same time.
- The Russian army uses cluster munitions in densely populated areas, which leads to tragic consequences for the civilian population.
- Unexploded cluster munitions have remained dangerous to humans for decades.
Ukraine is the leader in the number of victims from cluster munitions
Worldwide, 219 people died in 2023 from cluster munition ruptures or their remnants. The most victims are in Ukraine, and so for two years in a row.
The total number of people killed by cluster munitions since the start of the full-scale war is 1,023. HRW believes the number could be higher.
According to the report, 980 people died from cluster munitions. 43 deaths from their remains have been recorded.
93% of the dead were civilians. 47% of the dead and wounded are children.
The report says that in 2023, more than 50 attacks with cluster munitions were registered, the number of victims of which could not be determined.
The Russian army fires such projectiles at densely populated areas, the document says.
How dangerous are cluster munitions
These can be rockets, aerial bombs or artillery ammunition. Their main feature is the absence of one large explosive projectile.
Cluster munitions scatter into dozens and hundreds of particles that hit many objects at once.
An important point: such projectiles are not accurate. They are free-falling, they are used to destroy enemy infantry and equipment.
Unexploded cluster munitions are also dangerous. They can lie in the ground for years, threatening the civilian population.
More on the topic
- Category
- Ukraine
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