UN says it’s received ‘credible reports’ of cluster munitions by Russia in Ukraine

The United Nations human rights office has received “credible reports” that Russian forces are using cluster munitions in Ukraine, including in populated areas which is prohibited under international humanitarian law, the UN political chief.

Undersecretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo tells a UN Security Council meeting that residential areas and civilian infrastructure are being shelled in Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv, and “the utter devastation being visited on these cities is horrific.”

Most of the civilian casualties recorded by the UN human rights office — 564 killed and 982 injured as of Thursday — “have been caused by explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes,” she says.

“Indiscriminate attacks, including those using cluster munitions, which are of a nature to strike military objectives and civilians or civilian objects without distinction, are prohibited under international humanitarian law,” DiCarlo says. “Directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects, as well as so-called area bombardment in towns and villages, are also prohibited under international law and may amount to war crimes.”

As of Thursday, the UN World Health Organization has verified 26 attacks on health facilities, health workers, and ambulances, including the bombing of the Mariupol maternity hospital, which caused 12 deaths and 34 injuries, DiCarlo says.

All alleged violations of international humanitarian law must be investigated and those found responsible must be held accountable, she says.

DiCarlo stresses that “the need for negotiations to stop the war in Ukraine could not be more urgent.”