"Of course, if they are used against us, we reserve the right to take reciprocal action," Putin said in a state TV interview, excerpts of which were published on Sunday, according to Reuters.
Ukraine has received cluster bombs from the United States, munitions banned in more than 100 countries. Kyiv has pledged to only use them to dislodge concentrations of enemy soldiers.
On July 7, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that the United States had decided to send cluster munitions to Ukraine, despite the fact that the United Nations opposes the use of such weapons. He also stated that Kyiv had provided Washington with written assurances that the controversial weapons would be used in such a way as to minimize risks to civilians.
Pentagon Spokesman Patrick Ryder said on Thursday that the United States intended to provide Ukraine with a type of cluster munitions that allegedly pose the least risk to civilians. Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said earlier that Guterres supported the Convention on Cluster Munitions and was against the use of such weapons on the battlefield.
At least 38 human rights organizations have publicly opposed the delivery of cluster bombs to Ukraine.
AMK/PR
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