Ukraine great ‘testing ground’ for Western weapons: Kiev

Kiev says Ukraine is a great "testing ground" for the military industry of the West, which is constantly pouring advanced arms and military equipment in the ex-Soviet republic despite repeated warnings by Russia that such a flow of arms will only prolong the war.

In a an interview with Financial Times published on Wednesday, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said his country is an ideal "testing ground" for Western weaponry so that Kiev's allies can see how their weapons work in real war and to see whether they are efficient or need upgrades.

"For the military industry of the world, you can’t invent a better testing ground," he said, claiming that American officials became very happy when Ukraine’s military reported that a US Patriot missile system managed to down a Kinzhal, a Russian hypersonic missile.

An American official called the news "fantastic," Reznikov said.

"The Russians come up with a countermeasure, we inform our partners and they make a new countermeasure against this countermeasure," the Ukrainian defense minister said.

Reznikov claimed many countries are closely watching the developments in the Ukraine-Russia war, including those that are already armed with Russian weapons.

"Everyone is watching closely. And not only India. China too …  Everyone, even those who bought weapons from [Russia], will watch carefully," he said.

In July 2022, Reznikov made similar comments when he was asking for the United States and NATO to send more weapons to Ukraine.

"We are interested in testing modern systems in the fight against the enemy and we are inviting arms manufacturers to test the new products here," he said at the time.

US to decide whether to send banned cluster munitions to Ukraine: Media

The US may decide this week whether to send controversial cluster munitions to Ukraine, a media report says.

The US may reportedly decide later this week to send such internationally-banned cluster munitions to Ukraine.

Cluster bombs are banned under the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), an international treaty that addresses the humanitarian consequences and unacceptable harm caused to civilians by cluster munitions through a categorical prohibition and a framework for action.

The weapons can contain dozens of smaller bomblets, dispersing over vast areas, often killing and maiming civilians. The CCMs are banned because unexploded bomblets can pose a risk to civilians for years after the fighting is over.

Cluster munitions generally eject submunitions that can cover five times as much area as conventional bombs.

The CCM, which took effect in 2010, bans all use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster bombs. More than 100 countries have signed the treaty, but the United States, Russia and Ukraine have not.

Russia sees the flooding of Ukraine with weapons from the West as a futile effort to change the outcome of the war. Moscow says supplying Kiev with more weapons will only add to the death and destruction and prolong the conflict.  

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