Biden approved transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine, - WP

U.S. President Joe Biden has approved the transfer of controversial cluster munitions to Ukraine. The aid is to be announced today.

This was reported by The Washington Post.

Congress is to withdraw the ammunition from existing U.S. defense stockpiles.

This decision was made amid concerns about the delay in Ukraine's counteroffensive and the reduction of Western stockpiles of conventional artillery.

It is worth noting that this step involves circumventing the U.S. law that prohibits the production, use or transfer of cluster munitions with a reject rate above 1%.

According to the latest estimates conducted in 2020, the defect rate of cluster munitions does not exceed 2.35%. Although this exceeds the 1% limit, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder noted that officials "carefully select" ammunition with a defect rate of 2.35% or less for transfer to Ukraine.

Author – Anastasiya Glotova, 07/07/2023