The human rights organization Amnesty International has published a report stating that it has conclusive evidence of the deliberate use of banned cluster munitions by the Russian army. They indiscriminately shelled Kharkiv, namely civilian infrastructure.
The organization interviewed about 160 Kharkiv residents, including victims of the shelling, witnesses, relatives of the victims, as well as doctors. Amnesty International has documented at least 28 cases of cluster bombs and charges hitting Kharkiv. This led to the deaths of hundreds of civilians.
Most cassette charges were produced by Gras and Uragan systems. They are unable to accurately hit the target, and often the shells fall in area more than a 100 meters away from it. In residential areas, where houses are only a few meters apart, the use of such missiles leads to many casualties. Cluster munitions are equipped with elements that explode in the air hitting an area of hundreds of square meters.
"The repeated use of widely banned cluster munitions is shocking and another sign of complete disregard for civilian life. Russiaʼs forces responsible for these horrific attacks must be held accountable for their actions, and the victims and their families must be fully compensated," said Donatella Rovera, Amnesty Internationalʼs Senior Crisis Response Adviser.
Russiaʼs leaders have repeatedly denied the use of banned munitions, although the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office and journalists have a a lot of evidence.