The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM) has denied dismissing the allegation by the Human Rights Watch organization about the Ukrainian military using cluster bombs in Donbas, and said the statement by SMM spokesman Michael Bociurkiw was translated incorrectly.
We have never denied the use of the cluster bombs that are a subject matter of the HRW reports. The fact that the SMM did not report any specific incident does not mean that one has not taken place, an SMM spokesperson told Interfax.
In its November 9 report, the SMM did report the use of cluster bombs but the SSM was unable to establish, when they were launched, from where and by whom, nor was it able to confirm that this weapon had been used against civilian population, the SMM said.
Earlier Human Rights Watch accused had accused the Ukrainian side of using cluster bombs in shelling the areas with civilian population in the anti-terrorist operation zone in the east of the country.
For their part, Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, Defense Ministry and Foreign Ministry have denied such accusations and called them baseless.
