America approves cluster weapons for Ukraine & counter offensive advances near Bakhmut

Day 498.

Contributors:

David Knowles (Host). @djknowles22 on Twitter.

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor, Defence). @DomNicholls on Twitter.

Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on Twitter.

With a retrospective piece looking back on an earlier interview with the late Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina.

Find out more:

Bob Seely MP's article on the 'state of play':

Dr. Benjamin Tallis's report on security guarantees:

Subscribe to The Telegraph with our special offer: just £1 for 3 months. Start your free trial now:

[Horace]

Greetings from a listener from Hong Kong ~~~ keep up the good work in US, looking forward

[thelittlewhiskyshop]

I think there is a morality difference in the use of munitions like cluster. It is wrong for Ru to use them as they are illegally invading Ukr. Ukr are defending their county, need everything they can get to win back their country. If they want to use cluster bombs that is their decision IMO and should not be judged for doing so. At the end of the day they will have to deal with in when they win the territory back along with the hundreds of thousands of land mines and massive amounts of other UXO.

[JonasWaldmensch]

RIP Victoria! the interview touched my heart. I will visit Ukraine after victory!
Greetings from Germany

[donaldjmccann]

Regarding cluster munitions...Every battlefield in Ukraine, regardless of the munitions used, will have to be de-mined and decontaminated. The 155mm shells, grad rockets and hand grenades all have a ''dud'' rate which render duds dangerous after the battle is over. If Russia was not using them indiscriminately, I might be persuaded that they should not be used. If I had to choose between Ukraine using them in a responsible manner (marking for posterity where they were used) and not having the weapons to throw the Russians out of their land, I have to come down on the use of cluster munitions. Russia MUST lose and all participants must agree that Ukraine MUST WIN; never mind offering support ''for as long as it takes.'' If the USA decided that Ukraine must win, the war will largely be over by Christmas.

[darrenneven]

Thanks gang. Too many tears, much love from Victoria, Australia.

[davidb]

I hope the US trip goes well! I've been very grateful for the podcast, to me it's one of the very best ways to keep up with the war, and to understand the extraordinary breadth of viewpoints and historic contexts that have led to it.

[swmiwindnsolar]

Looking forward to your visit to the U.S.
I am a long time listener of “Ukraine: The Latest “.
I am a former American Artillery Officer, Desert Storm Veteran and live in Lawrence, Michigan.
Safe travels.

[sablisk]

Hate cluster munitions, The longer the Russians are there the more landmines that will be placed, so paradoxitly these weapons could help reduce the number of years it will take to make the area safe after the war.

[eastcorkcheeses]

The war crime label in connection with cluster munitions is using them on civilian targets .
Many countries have banned them outright .. the Us, russia and ukraine havent,
Interestingly most Nato countries signed the cluster munitions ban only after the fall of rhe soviet union, (ie. When they thought they didnt need them anymore ),

[Yobinski]

Three cheers! Ukraine: The Latest coming to America!!

[brandonhamilton]

I'm really glad they replayed her interview.

[carolinenobach]

Its such an honor to listen to voices for freedom and democracy that have to struggle for it. It's a sacred struggle by the people for the people. Glory to Ukraine 🇺🇦

[casard]

Such a terrible loss. May her spirit live on.

[ad]

Its about time too, the Russians have been using cluster weapons since the start way back in 2014.
They ramped up on the 24/0/22022, so all the West are doing is assisting Ukraine to be able to match Russia with cluster ammunitions. This will assist with clearing Russians out of their trench systems.
Plus the Ukraine are burning through shells.

[Lennybird]

I am personally unconvinced of the arguments for cluster munitions for Ukraine (I'd rather see the F16s expedited and Atacms delivered yesterday). The only theory I have is that there were comments alluded to by the administration that their use would be used responsibly. This makes me wonder if these cluster munitions are being disassembled to be used for drone bomblets. Would give Ukraine a massive supply immediately. Because otherwise cluster munitions are just as much of a problem for the offensive force that has to march into those areas.

I'm also not convinced that we should stoop to this level. The White House press briefing by Jake Sullivan had pretty weak arguments. "yeah there will be UXO problems for years to come but hey there was going to be some anyway, so let's just add fuel to the fire." The Whataboutism/Tu quoque argument is incredibly poor. The optics of this move is also generally terrible, risking division of allies and support.

[TheGazzatron]

It'd be good to hear from youtubers following the war like jake broe on your tour of America.

[martavdz]

Adding that Zelensky also visited Slovakia and agreed on shared manufacturing of Slovak howitzers Zuzana-2. This could be convenient to both countries, as Slovakia shares borders with Ukraine.

[brittbarlow]

Russia is using cluster munitions on civilians that’s a fact! They have been since the beginning. They are also using phosphorus shells on villages.

[harbosonius]

" It's only a war crime when the other side does it."😂

[donaldduck]

Not much else to be expected from the people who plastered Vietnam in Agent Orange and dropped two atom bombs on helpless civilians.