Elon Musk accuses US of hypocrisy for sending cluster munitions to Ukraine
Sunday, 16 July 2023 (17:34 IST)
Washington: Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has accused the United States of hypocrisy for harshly condemning other countries that use cluster munitions and now sending these munitions to Ukraine.
"America has always condemned as evil those who use cluster bombs, but now we send them to be used? No good will come of this. Fate loves irony, but hates hypocrisy," Musk wrote on Twitter on Saturday.
In another tweet, Musk said that the United States had decided to provide Kiev with cluster munitions out of "desperation."
"I want the best outcome for the people. Russia has at least 4 times the artillery of Ukraine and 10 times the ammunition. We have run out of normal ammunition to send Ukraine, so now send them cluster bombs in desperation, debasing ourselves with no change to the outcome," Musk said.
On Thursday, Pentagon’s Joint Staff Director for Operations Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims II told a briefing that Ukraine had received cluster munitions from the United States, as well as other countries.
On July 7, the US unveiled a new military assistance package for Ukraine, which included cluster munitions. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu warned on July 11 that the Russian military would be forced to use similar weapons, which it has plenty of in stocks, against the Ukrainian armed forces if the US supplies cluster munitions to Kiev.
Cluster munitions are banned by the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which has been ratified by 123 countries. The US, Ukraine, Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and South Korea have not signed the convention.
Western countries have been supplying Ukraine with military aid since the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The support evolved from light artillery munitions and training in 2022 to heavier weapons, including tanks, later that year and in 2023. In recent months, Ukraine has been pushing to be supplied with F-16 fighter jets. The Kremlin has repeatedly warned against further arms deliveries to Kiev. (UNI)
