At the XI Moscow Conference on International Security, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated that Moscow might revisit its stance on the use of cluster munitions in Ukraine. The report came through TASS, noting that the defense chief signaled a potential shift in policy depending on evolving circumstances on the ground and political calculations abroad.
“We also possess cluster munitions in our arsenal. Up to now we have refrained from deploying them for humanitarian reasons. Yet this stance could be subject to change,” Shoigu remarked, underscoring a readiness to reassess strategic tools as the conflict endures and as international conditions shift. The remark reflects broader strategic debates within Russia about the utility and consequences of this category of weapons in a modern battlefield.
Observers point out that Moscow blames Washington for aggravating humanitarian strains in Ukraine by supplying cluster munitions to Kyiv. While some international humanitarian organizations stop short of condemning the use of cluster munitions in all contexts, the United States has repeatedly condemned such deployments as unacceptable and has labeled them a potential war crime in some frameworks. The disagreement highlights divergent legal and moral interpretations surrounding a weapon class with a long and controversial history in modern warfare.
Earlier, Dmitry Polyansky, the First Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, called for an open meeting of the UN Security Council on August 17 to debate Western weapons deliveries to Ukraine. The request reflects Moscow’s persistent push to bring international scrutiny to the arms flows and the resulting humanitarian and security implications, arguing that open discussion is essential for transparent policy assessment and accountability among major powers.
In related developments, Russia announced the deployment of a new drone suppression system aimed at countering unmanned aerial activity. This technological effort signals a broader focus on modernizing defensive capabilities in response to evolving aerial threat environments, and it underscores ongoing strategic priorities as Moscow refrains from committing to a single course while keeping options open amid shifting international pressures.