Ukraine Targets Russian Positions Near Bakhmut

Ukrainian artillery has been aiming at Russian positions on the outskirts of Bakhmut to accelerate the infantry advance.

The United States announced Friday that it would send cluster munitions to Ukraine from Pentagon stocks as part of an $800 million security package.

Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, said the decision to provide cluster bombs had not been an easy one for the U.S. or Ukraine. He said Ukraine had provided assurances it would use these munitions with the utmost care because it knows the risk they pose to Ukrainian citizens. But ultimately, Ukraine must defend itself from Russian troops entrenched in Ukraine.

“We will continue to support Ukraine along the way. We base our security assistance decisions on Ukraine’s needs on the ground,” said Sullivan, noting that there also were consequences to civilians if Russian troops and tanks rolled over Ukrainian positions.

Biden’s decision circumvents U.S. law prohibiting the production, use or transfer of cluster munitions with a failure rate of more than 1% by allocating the munitions from existing defense stocks under the Foreign Assistance Act. This clause allows Biden to provide aid once he deems that such a provision is in the U.S. national security interest.