Turkey's cluster munitions plan for Ukraine

It has been reported that Turkey has requested approval from Washington to transfer US-licensed cluster munitions from its inventory to Ukraine. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the proposed package consists of rockets, missiles, and artillery ammunition with a total value of 256 million dollars.

According to HRW, a portion of these munitions was partially produced in Turkey under US licenses that began in 1987. It is stated that the package contains more than 10 million explosive submunitions. It is noted that these munitions are at the center of international legal debates due to the risks they pose, particularly to civilians.

Under the proposed transfer, it is planned to sell the entire stock of 12 M270 multiple launch rocket systems in Turkey's inventory. The package also includes 70 M39 ATACMS ballistic missiles carrying 66 thousand 500 submunitions, 2 thousand 524 M26 rockets containing 1 million 625 thousand 456 submunitions, and 47 thousand M509A1 203 mm artillery shells with 8 million 460 thousand submunitions.

In a notification letter submitted to Congress by a US State Department official on August 6, 2026, it was noted that the US government is prepared to authorize the transfer. The letter stated that Turkey wishes to reduce its older defense products and direct its resources toward the modernization of existing systems, while Ukraine has requested these munitions to increase its defensive and offensive capabilities against the Russian invasion.

HRW WARNING ON CIVILIAN CASUALTIES

Cluster munitions pose a danger to civilians even after the war because they scatter numerous small explosive bomblets over a target area, some of which may remain unexploded. HRW emphasized that because these weapons cannot perform precise targeting and have high failure rates, they can leave behind unexploded ordnance, creating a long-term, mine-like risk.

Nicole Widdersheim, Deputy Washington Director at HRW, drew attention to concerns regarding the reliability of these munitions, which have been in storage for over 30 years. The organization stated that the use of such weapons could lead to civilian harm and, under certain conditions, raise questions of war crimes.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions entered into force in 2010, banning the use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of these weapons. However, the US, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine are among the countries that are not parties to the convention. It is reported that the US has applied a moratorium on the export of cluster munitions since 2009; however, during the Joe Biden administration, shipments were made to Ukraine with exemptions between July 2023 and October 2024.

It is not yet clear whether the Trump administration has made a similar exemption decision to bypass the moratorium. The US Congress has the authority to issue a resolution of disapproval to block the sale if it deems it necessary.

News Source: 12punto