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Bellingcat Profile picture
@bellingcat
Feb 27, 2022 • 8 tweets • 3 min read • Read on X
Bellingcat has identified multiple examples of cluster munitions being fired into civilian areas of Ukraine, including residential areas, schools and hospitals.

bellingcat.com/news/2022/02/2…
Cluster munitions deploy a large number of smaller sub-munitions over a target, which then spread out and cover an area in explosions. They are often described as an indiscriminate weapon due to the inherently large area they affect.
In Ukraine we have seen examples of cargo rockets used by BM 27 & BM 30 multiple launch rocket systems. These cargo rockets carry the submunitions.

When they hit the ground, the cargo warheads and rocket motors can give an indication of the direction of origin of the rocket.
Over the first few days of the Russian invasion, we have seen multiple examples of their use in areas across Ukraine, including Bucha, Okhtyra, Vvedenka & Trostyanets.

We have also seen multiple examples of their use in civilian areas of Kharkiv.

This includes a cluster munition strike which impacted immediately next to the Kharkiv regional children’s hospital on the north side of Kharkiv.

The direction of origin of these strikes indicate the point of origin was to the north, from Russia and areas currently controlled by Russia.
In a particularly egregious incident, a kindergarten in Okhtyrka appears to have been impacted by a cluster munition, with the cargo warhead landing about 200 metres away.
We continue to collect examples of cluster munition use in the following thread:

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More from @bellingcat

Bellingcat Profile picture
Dec 22
Bellingcat’s work in 2025 verified war crimes, exposed deepfake abuse, and challenged disinformation. We want to uncover wrongdoing. We can with your support:

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Bellingcat Profile picture
Nov 11
Russian state media are today alleging that a Bellingcat reporter was involved in an attempt to hijack a Russian fighter plane.

We would like to make clear that Bellingcat had absolutely no involvement in the alleged activities and the accusations towards us are entirely false.
The individual detailed in Russian media as a Bellingcat reporter has never worked for us in any capacity and we do not know who they are. Image
The picture and name in the press pass published in RU media does not depict any of our staff members or contributors. If they exist, we are unaware of them ever engaging with us.

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Bellingcat Profile picture
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The largest aid flotilla in history has been attacked twice in two days whilst in port in Tunisia. Open source analysis suggests an incendiary munition is to blame, contradicting official statements. bellingcat.com/news/2025/09/1…
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Bellingcat Profile picture
Jul 23
A new report by Bellingcat’s Justice & Accountability (J&A) Unit and @GLAN_LAW detailing the use of cluster munitions in civilian areas in Kharkiv at the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine is published today. j-and-a.glanlaw.org/kharkiv
The report is based on 32 in-depth investigations of separate incidents that took place between February and April 2022. It offers one of the most detailed looks yet at the use of cluster munitions against civilian areas in the early stages of Russia’s full scale invasion.
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Bellingcat Profile picture
Apr 9
On March 23, a convoy of aid workers, traveling in vehicles marked with emergency flashing lights, was struck by gunfire in Gaza. Bellingcat used video footage of the incident to perform an audio analysis of the shooting. bellingcat.com/news/2025/04/0…
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At least four vehicles were present and had stopped beside another vehicle that was located just off the road when the shooting started.
Read 18 tweets

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