Civilians are the main victims of cluster munitions

Mr. Volodymyr, 59, was a lawyer. On Feb 28, 2022, he was living in Kharkivska. On that day, he left his home to buy milk for his young granddaughter, who lived just 200 yards away. It was 10 am when shelling began.

Thrown away by a bombing

“I remember hearing the first shell hit a tree just 20 feet away from me. Then I was thrown by a shockwave underneath a nearby first-floor balcony.”

Explosions lasted 15 minutes. He says it was the first documented case of cluster munitions use in the war. Nine people were killed in the strike, and a man standing just a few feet away from him was also killed. 

Reflecting on why this area was targeted, he does not see any specific reason for Russia to have attacked. There was a streetcar depot nearby, but no military assets or personnel. 

“After the attack, I crawled towards the entrance to reach my family. I was very afraid for my family and my granddaughter. I was covered in blood. My younger son helped me into the bathroom. It was hard to stand or walk. I laid down on the floor of the living room as my family called the ambulance.”

When the ambulance arrived, he did not want to go to the hospital and be admitted, but the doctor from the ambulance told him, “Your injuries are severe, you need to come with us.” Given the situation, he did not want to leave his family and home. 

Removing shrapnel without anesthesia 

At the hospital, approximately 14-15 pieces of shrapnel were removed from his body during surgery without anesthesia. “It was agony. I’m not sure why they didn’t use anesthesia. Maybe because they didn’t have it or didn’t have enough.” There is still one piece of shrapnel in his neck near his spine. 

He had three holes in his chest, one in his leg, his ear was partially torn off, and he had holes in both legs. Luckily, none of the shrapnel hit any bones or organs. Because of complications from the shrapnel, he suffered nerve damage and has no feeling below a certain point in his left thigh. He also lost his teeth from being thrown by the shockwave. 

Injured for life 

“Cluster munitions are dark, scary, and awful”.  

The effects are long-lasting. “I have to be careful from now on. A fall or accident could disturb the metal fragment piece still in my neck and injure me further.” He cannot put weight on his left leg and cannot walk properly as a result of the injuries he sustained in the cluster munition attack. “It feels like my leg is in a bear trap,” he shared.

Furthermore, he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes as a result of the injuries he sustained and complications with blood flow and circulation. He worries that eventually his leg will be amputated.

“When you’re injured by cluster munitions, there is no end. I cannot put this incident behind me”.

What are cluster munitions?

Cluster munitions are weapons consisting of a container that opens in the air and releases explosive submunitions or "bomblets". Cluster munitions scatter over wide areas, often leaving hundreds of unexploded bomblets behind. Many fail to detonate on impact, acting like hidden landmines for years. They are often found in farmland, villages, and schools, putting civilians -especially children - at risk.