ACTIVISTS today slammed the “unconscionable” decision of the United States to ship cluster munitions to Ukraine for its fight against Russia.

Groups in the Cluster Munitions Coalition released their latest annual report today, ahead of a meeting next week of envoys from the 112 countries that have acceded to or ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions. 

The treaty prohibits the explosives and calls for clearing areas where they litter the ground because they harm and kill many more civilians than combatants.

A further 12 countries have signed the convention but the US and Russia are not among them.

Mary Wareham of Human Rights Watch, which has long championed the 15-year-old convention, says the coalition was “extremely concerned” about the US move in July to transfer unspecified thousands of 155mm artillery-delivered cluster munition rounds to Ukraine.

Hoping to avoid defections from the convention, Ms Wareham said supporters hope signatories will “stay strong” and that they do not “weaken their position on the treaty as a result of the US decision.” 

She said: “We don’t see that happening yet. But it’s always a danger.”

US officials argue that the munitions, which open in the air and then release smaller bomblets across a wide area, could help Kiev bolster its offensive and push through Russian front lines.