iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
MS Dhoni's cameo in vain as five-time champions dealt thrid loss but hold on to third place in the standings
KT APPDOWNLOAD
Ukraine crisis: Rights groups say Russia used cluster, vacuum bombs
A vacuum bomb sucks in oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion
Image used for illustrative purposes
Human rights groups and Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States on Monday accused Russia of using cluster bombs and vacuum bombs, weapons that have been condemned by a variety of international organizations.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch both said that Russian forces appeared to have used widely banned cluster munitions.
Oksana Markarova, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, told reporters after meeting with members of the U.S. Congress that Russia had used a thermobaric weapon, known as a vacuum bomb.
“They used the vacuum bomb today,” Markarova said after a meeting with lawmakers. “...The devastation that Russia is trying to inflict on Ukraine is large.”
A vacuum bomb, or thermobaric weapon, sucks in oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion, typically producing a blast wave of a significantly longer duration than that of a conventional explosive and is capable of vaporizing human bodies.
There has been no official confirmation that thermobaric weapons have been used in the conflict in Ukraine. CNN reported that one of its teams had spotted a Russian thermobaric multiple rocket launcher near the Ukrainian border early on Saturday afternoon.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said she had seen reports but did not have confirmation that Russia had used such weapons. She noted that there are international organizations that would assess that and President Joe Biden’s administration “would look to be a part of that conversation.”
The Russian embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.
Markarova said Ukraine was working actively with the Biden administration and Congress to obtain more weapons and tougher sanctions.
“They should pay, they should pay a heavy price,” she told reporters after leaving the meeting.
ALSO READ:
One lawmaker who attended the meeting, Democratic Representative Brad Sherman, said the Ukrainians had asked for a US-enforced no-fly zone over Ukraine but that he felt that was too dangerous because it could provoke conflict with Russia.
Amnesty International said international humanitarian law prohibits the use of inherently indiscriminate weapons such as cluster munitions.
More news from
Roads and Transport Authority has been working round the clock to carry out maintenance work
Through this collaboration, Partisia Blockchain Foundation is set to discover and support the next generation of Web3 innovators
Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi reiterated the GCC's firm position supporting Palestinian people's right to self-determination and establishment of an independent state
As part of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, food, shelter tents, and basic supplies were provided to Palestinian families
The South African is tied with Denmark’s Nicolai Kristensen at the halfway stage of the tournament
The neighbourhood around the consulate was closed after the 60-year-old entered the premises, claiming to be armed with an explosive vest
All competent authorities must work together and coordinate to expedite possible means of support
