rt.com 5 Aug, 2023 20:05
HomeRussia & FSU
Ukraine shells Donetsk with cluster munitions – reports
Civilian targets were affected in the Saturday night shelling
The site of a fire in the building of the 1st building of the University of Economics and Trade in Donetsk
Ukrainian forces have reportedly fired cluster munitions into Donetsk city, striking a private residence, a university and other civilian targets.
Four rounds of 155mm cluster bombs were fired into the center of the city on Saturday night, triggering fires in three districts, the Joint Center of Control and Coordination (JCCC) for the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR)
said.
The cluster munitions reportedly exploded in the air. The Donetsk University of Economics and Trade was on fire after the shelling, the Mayor of Donetsk Alexei Kulemzin said in a Telegram post. Fires also were reported in apartment buildings.
The shelling comes after at least three people were killed and ten injured by a Ukrainian bombardment on Monday. The shelling killed another civilian in a nearby town, the JCCC said.
Cluster munitions have been banned by more than 100 countries because of their devastating effects on civilians. Cluster shells are typically designed to open up in midair and release tens or even hundreds of submunitions that can saturate a large area with explosives. They tend to have a high failure rate, creating risks to civilians from unexploded munitions for potentially decades after a conflict ends.