Russian forces launched a strike against Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast on Aug. 28 most likely using cluster munitions, killing a woman and injuring three more residents, the Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office reported.
"On Aug. 28, 2023, at 6 p.m., Russian forces launched a strike against Toretsk, most likely using cluster munitions (launched by) the Uragan multiple-launch rocket system," the prosecutors said.
"A 39-year-old woman was killed by an enemy projectile while carrying out household chores in her yard."
Three more civilians sustained shrapnel injuries and contusions while in their homes, including a married couple aged 72 and 73, and a 88-year-old woman, according to the report.
All three injured victims have been hospitalized, the prosecutors clarified. The rocket strike also reportedly damaged several residential houses and apartment buildings.
Russian forces have repeatedly used cluster munitions against civilian targets in Ukraine. On July 25, a Russian cluster munitions strike killed or injured several people, including children, in Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast.
While Kyiv has also acquired the cluster munitions, the Ukrainian military said they will be deployed only against concentrated Russian military positions and far from heavily populated areas.
The weaponry in question is controversial due to the risks it presents to non-combatants.
The shells carry smaller bomblets which are spread over a wider area upon detonation. Bomblets that do not explode right upon impact can bring harm to civilians long after the hostilities are already over.
Over 120 countries signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions, banning their use, transfer, production, and stockpiling. Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. are not among the signatories.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
