Putin: Russia has ‘sufficient stockpile’ of cluster bombs – By Sarah Fortinsky (The Hill) / July 16, 2023
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed in an interview published Sunday that Russia has a “sufficient stockpile” of cluster bombs and threatened to take “reciprocal action” if Ukraine used the munitions against his country.
In the new interview, Putin made his first public comments in response to news that the United States delivered cluster munitions to Ukraine, which the Pentagon confirmed last Thursday. The interview is set to air Sunday night, but the reporter teased clips from it on social media in advance of the broadcast.
Putin claimed his country has not used the weapon against Ukraine – despite strong evidence otherwise – but said Russia now “reserves the right to take reciprocal action” if Ukraine uses cluster bombs.
“Until now, we have not done this, we have not used it, and we have not had such a need,” Putin added.
