Ukrainian authorities are warning of a new type of cluster bomb dropped on cities by Russian Shahed drones. Over the winter, the main target for the drones was electricity infrastructure, in a failed attempt to freeze Ukraine into submission. Now the goal seems to be simply to spread fear and destruction.
Russia launched almost 2,500 Shaheds in April. More than 80% were downed, but many still got through. We have already seen numerous drones hitting apartment blocks and other non-military sites causing heavy civilian casualties. Precision satellite guidance means these were likely the intended targets. Adding cluster munitions looks like a deliberate attempt to push up the casualty count.
Spreading More Destruction
Following a drone attack on Thursday morning Kyiv City State Administration issued an alert:
“Unknown objects that may lie on the ground after enemy attacks may turn out to be explosive. If you see an unknown object, do not touch or approach. Just notify the rescuers or the police.“
The press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a similar warning:
“In the Darnytskyi district of Kyiv, bomb disposal teams from the State Emergency Service are working. Access to the area, which is potentially dangerous for citizens, is limited by police officers…The main thing: do not touch unknown objects …. stay calm. Professional sappers are working.”
Oleksandr Popovtsev, head of local government in Shevchenkivska District, gave additional detail:
“Today in Darnytskyi district, in the Bortnychi neighborhood, explosions of delayed cluster munitions were recorded, which could have been scattered during a night UAV [Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle, or drone] attack. I urge all residents to be as careful as possible! If possible, stay in safe places, preferably in shelters or basements.”
These follow previous unverified reports earlier this month of Shaheds dropping cluster munitions resembling fragmentation grenades in the Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions, and other reports, shared by United24 Media, that the drones were scattering ani-personnel mines along their path.
Cluster munitions, which produce a less focused effect over a wider area than a single warhead, are classic antipersonnel weapons. And mines or delayed-action bombs are often used to cause disruption and chaos. But there is considerable confusion over what is actually happening.
We have not yet seen images of a downed Shahed with a cluster warhead and while Russia has definitely used ballistic missiles with cluster warheads, and small quadcopters dropping antipersonnel mines in Kherson there is no information about the new munitions dropped by Shaheds.
The Lethal Evolution Of The Shahed
The Shahed, designed in Iran but now built in Russia, has delivered several different f warheads over the past three years. The basic version carried a straightforward high explosive charge weighing roughly 100 pounds. This was superseded by an upgraded warhead with a shaped charge able to punch holes in metal to inflict greater damage to targets like electrical substations. Further refinements have seen the addition of incendiary elements to increase the chance of starting a fire.
More recently we have seen Shaheds with thermobaric warheads, a type which is more effective than normal high explosive at demolishing buildings.
These indicate how the designers have modified the warhead to cause more damage to infrastructure. One Shahed was even found with a dummy wooden warhead; the suspicion is that this was on a reconnaissance mission to fly around and uncover the location of air defences, and the lighter ‘warhead’ increased its flight time.
But there have also been uglier developments. Recent images show Shahed warheads packed with small ball bearings and other shrapnel. These fragmentation warheads cause casualties over a much wider radius than explosive alone.
And now we have cluster munitions.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the typical ‘explosive object’ from a Shaheds is a pipe with square notches on the body. Those seen so confirmed are roughly 12-14 inches long with a diameter of 2 inches, but the Ministry warns there may be several other types.
Part of the problem is that people may think any unidentified metal debris is a cluster munition. In one case expended rounds from anti-aircraft units were incorrectly described as cluster bombs. (Even wilder reports claim that Shaheds are coated in poison which seems extremely unlikely but should at least stop people from getting too close).
According to another unconfirmed report the munitions have a time delay of up to an hour, and an anti-tamper fuse which is “sensitive to vibration and light.” The lethal radius is said to be 25 feet.
Memories Of The Blitz
Russia appears to be working from the playbook used by the Nazis during the 1940 aerial ‘Blitz’ on England. This started with conventional bombs, which were later mixed with some fitted with delayed-action fuses when it was found that unexploded bombs caused more disruption. These were later fitted with anti-tamper devices to target the EOD teams tackling them. Finally, some bombs were dropped with no timer, just the anti-tamper fuse, so they would remain in place until someone tried to defuse them or they were otherwise interfered with.
The basic German 500-pound aerial bomb, effective against buildings and other structures, was supplemented by cluster bombs, like the AB-250 scattering 108 four-pound antipersonnel bomblets. The Germans called these bomblets ‘Devils Eggs’, the British called them ‘Butterfly bombs’ from the way the two halves of the casing opened when dropped. The Butterfly bomb was lethal to anyone within 30 feet and could cause serious injury at 300 feet.
The defenders found that unexploded cluster bombs greatly complicated the challenge of clearing up after an attack, as there were so many to deal with and they were much harder to spot.
Likely the bomblets spread by Shaheds are a mix of detonation on impact and delayed-action types, and possibly with some which act purely as mines. Finding out exactly what they look like and what sort of fusing is involved, is likely to be a high priority. This information will greatly help in efforts to clear them and keep people safe.
What is clear though is that the new weapons are not aimed at military or infrastructure targets. They have been designed specifically to kill, injure and terrify as many people as possible. While Ukrainian long range drone strikes target Russian weapons factories, oil storage sites and military airbases, Russia is focusing its efforts on waging a campaign of terror against civilians.