Russia accused of genocide and war crimes after using cluster bombs in Ukraine

Russia strongman Vladimir Putin was harshly criticized on Twitter on Monday after video evidence appeared to show the use of cluster munitions in Ukraine.

Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, who commanded U.S. Army forces in Europe, identified the use of cluster bombs during a Monday appearance on CNN.

"Ukrainian officials say at least 11 people were killed and more were wounded in the eastern city of Kharkiv on Monday morning after Russia launched rocket strikes, targeting Ukraine’s second-largest city with some of the heaviest shelling and street fighting since the invasion began Thursday. Suspected cluster munitions struck buildings in the city," The Washington Post reported. "Oleh Synehubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, said Monday that 'dozens are dying' and that at least 11 people were confirmed dead. He called the attacks in three areas of the predominantly Russian-speaking city that had been considered more friendly to Russia 'a war crime.'”

Synehubov was not the only one reporting on Putin having potentially committed war crimes. Here's some of what others were saying:

#Russia attacks residential areas in Kharkiv. Clear war crime.https://twitter.com/3tramvl026ajrar/status/1498281023041380355\u00a0\u2026

— Urmas Paet (@Urmas Paet) 1646053595

This is a war crime over which the @IntlCrimCourt has jurisdiction.https://twitter.com/abdujalil/status/1498277815438888964\u00a0\u2026

— Dylan Williams (@Dylan Williams) 1646054589

Russia strikes buildings with suspected cluster munitions in Kharkiv. Dozens wounded in heaviest shelling and street fighting there since invasion began https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/28/kharkiv-rockets-shelling-russia-ukraine-war/\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/FSfXBNi3ho

— John Hudson (@John Hudson) 1646068165

Another war crime to add to the already long list for Putin. This gruesome attack was purposeful\u2014he\u2019s targeting civilians while claiming to be in negotiations. It\u2019s barbaric and further reminder of his evil. He must be stopped.https://twitter.com/charles_lister/status/1498246587164028928\u00a0\u2026

— Adam Kinzinger (@Adam Kinzinger) 1646053302

The barbarism of an indiscriminate MLRS rocket barrage on the downtown of a city of 1.5M (pop of San Diego) is staggering, as are reports of dozens of civilians killed in this attack. Slaughtering civilians to gain negotiating leverage is a war crime, terrorism in uniform.https://twitter.com/ralee85/status/1498241064347574272\u00a0\u2026

— Rep. Peter Meijer (@Rep. Peter Meijer) 1646050398

If Russia is using cluster munitions on civilians in Ukraine as reported, that constitutes a war crime. The global community must stand united in holding president Putin and Russia\u2019s military accountable for this appalling conduct.https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/28/kharkiv-rockets-shelling-russia-ukraine-war/\u00a0\u2026

— Rep. Betty McCollum (@Rep. Betty McCollum) 1646068768

There\u2019s no \u201cvery probably\u201d about it.\n\nIf these clips are accurately captioned it\u2019s a war crime.https://twitter.com/jimmysecuk/status/1498236171666788352\u00a0\u2026

— Peter Grant MP (@Peter Grant MP) 1646059175

Putin Invading a country to stop a non existent genocide in order to justify an actual genocide. Using cluster munitions in cities is a war crime and genocide.https://twitter.com/abdujalil/status/1498277815438888964\u00a0\u2026

— David Hogg \ud83c\udf3b (@David Hogg \ud83c\udf3b) 1646056013

Shocking Russian attacks on civilian areas of Kharkiv. If confirmed this would be a war crime.https://twitter.com/ralee85/status/1498241064347574272\u00a0\u2026

— Ian Pannell (@Ian Pannell) 1646051440

Another brutal and indiscriminate attack on a civilian area by Russian forces, another war crime.https://twitter.com/ralee85/status/1498270787081547777\u00a0\u2026

— Euan MacDonald (@Euan MacDonald) 1646050704

We're seeing a lot of images of cluster munitions being used in Ukraine, so there's a few things I want to highlight to assist with reporting of the incidents. There's two types of rockets, fired by BM-27 and BM-30 multiple rocket launchers.pic.twitter.com/j87onDj6kk

— Eliot Higgins (@Eliot Higgins) 1646063766

Generally when these munitions deploy their submunitions in the air the rocket motor and cluster munition section separate, and land in the ground, just like in this video from Ukraine, showing the cluster section impacting the ground.pic.twitter.com/22tzkZ701F

— Eliot Higgins (@Eliot Higgins) 1646063952

They can land several hundreds meters away from where the cluster munitions are released, and the direction of impact can also be established by which way the munition remnants are pointing, like in this examplehttps://twitter.com/bellingcat/status/1497925199710334977\u00a0\u2026

— Eliot Higgins (@Eliot Higgins) 1646064165

However, it should also be noted the tail fin section can become detached, which can lead to misidentification. This picture shows both the rocket motor and the detached tail fin section nearby.pic.twitter.com/iksQ0pncRJ

— Eliot Higgins (@Eliot Higgins) 1646064492

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