UN: Russia Used Cluster Bomb, Norwegian Judge To Investigate

On March 30, the officer of UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) said it was investigating Russia used cluster bombs to attack Ukraine. The previous day, UNHRC appointed Norwegian judge Erik Mose to lead a panel to investigate the war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine.

Michelle Bachelet, the U.N. human rights chief, said that civilian buildings such as hospitals, water supply facilities and administrative buildings in Ukraine have been attacked, resulting in many civilian casualties. These heinous attacks may be related to the 24 allegations of cluster bombs used by Russian troops that are being investigated by UNHRC staff. Bachelet stressed, The Russian attack violated international humanitarian law and was suspected of constituting a war crime. It is reported that one of the cluster bomb characteristics is that the killing area is too large, which is easy to affect civilians. Second, because of the large amount of ammunition, the emergence of unexploded ordnance may still hurt innocent people in the decades after the war.

The investigation panel appointed by the UNHRC also includes Jasminka Dzumhur, a human rights ombudsperson in Bosnia; and Pablo de Greiff, a veteran adviser on justice issues to international organizations from Colombia. Bachelet pointed out, at least 1,189 civilians have been killed since the start of the invasion and more than 10 million Ukrainians have been displaced as of March 29. Mayor Malibu’s spokesman confirmed that since the Russian invading troop began to siege the city a month ago, Malibu’s buildings have been almost destroyed, including hospitals, schools, kindergartens and factories.