Explained: What are cluster bombs and thermobaric weapons, allegedly used by Russia against Ukrainians?

What is the News?

Human rights groups Amnesty International and Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States has accused Russia of using cluster bombs and vacuum bombs in the ongoing war.

What are Cluster Munitions?

Cluster Munitions ​​are non-precision weapons that are designed to injure or kill human beings indiscriminately over a large area and to destroy vehicles and infrastructure such as runways, railway or power transmission lines. 

They can be dropped from an aircraft or launched in a projectile that spins in flight, scattering many bomblets as it travels.

Many of these cluster bombs end up not exploding, but continue to lie on the ground, often partially or fully hidden, posing a threat to people for long after the fighting has ceased.

What are Thermobaric Weapons?

Thermobaric weapons — also known as aerosol bombs, fuel-air explosives, or vacuum bombs — use oxygen from the air for a large, high-temperature blast. 

A thermobaric weapon causes significantly greater devastation than a conventional bomb of comparable size.

Is using Cluster and Thermobaric Weapons illegal?

Cluster Munitions: There is a Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM). It is an international treaty adopted in 2008. It prohibits the use, transfer, production, and stockpiling of cluster bombs. Currently, 110 states are parties to the convention and 13 other countries have signed up but are yet to ratify it. Neither Russia nor Ukraine are signatories.

Thermobaric weapons are not prohibited by any international law or agreement, but their use against civilian populations in built-up areas, schools or hospitals, could attract action under The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907.

Source: This post is based on the article “Explained: What are cluster bombs and thermobaric weapons, allegedly used by Russia against Ukrainians?” published in Indian Express on 3rd Mar 2022.