Kyiv asked Berlin for banned weapons: white phosphorus bombs

By Boyko Nikolov

BERLIN, GERMANY — Kyiv has made an official request to Berlin for the supply of banned weapons. These are cluster munitions and phosphorous incendiary weapons [white phosphorus bombs]. Explained in basic language, cluster munitions are rockets and bombs that explode in the air above the target, releasing multiple small explosive devices. Phosphorus ammunition can cause severe burns and poisoning in humans.

Kyiv asked Berlin for banned weapons: white phosphorus bombs
Photo credit: Reuters

The request was made on February 17 by the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Alexander Kubrakov. This happened during the security conference. Mr. Kubrakov justified his request by saying that “this is our territory” [Ukraine and the territories temporarily occupied by the Russian armed forces, including Crimea].

However, Berlin rejected Kyiv’s request. The rejection came immediately from the German defense politician Mrs. Agnieszka Brugger. She is a member of the Green Party. Mrs. Brugger recalled that Germany is prohibited from possessing a such type of ammunition. Germany is also not allowed to develop or sell them.

According to Ms. Brugger, the fact that “Russia violates every international law” does not give Ukraine grounds to do the same. The German politician believes that Kyiv can get a lot of “broad international solidarity” if it follows the accepted rules. These weapons are internationally banned, writes Saturday’s Spiegel.

From 2010 until today, the convention has forgotten the use of cluster and phosphorous weapons and ammunition. This ban is also known as the “Oslo Agreements”. The fact is, however, that neither Russia nor Ukraine has ratified these agreements.

Mr. Kubrakov explained at the security conference that cluster and phosphorous munitions and weapons would help Ukraine “resist the attackers”. However, he emphasized that he fully understands the difficulties of such a delivery precisely because of the Oslo Convention and Agreements.

It was at the same security conference that Mr. Kubrakov again asked for fighter jets. As BulgarianMilitary.com wrote earlier, Poland is ready to provide its MiG-29s. However, it is not clear whether this will happen for free, or whether Warsaw will want to sell this “donation”. Poland also emphasized that if there is a coalition to provide F-16 to Ukraine, it will support it and join.

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