Parliament Speaker Proposing Banning ICC in Russia

Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends a forum of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) in Moscow, Russia, March 16, 2023. Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via REUTERS
Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends a forum of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) in Moscow, Russia, March 16, 2023. Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via REUTERS
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Parliament Speaker Proposing Banning ICC in Russia

Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends a forum of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) in Moscow, Russia, March 16, 2023. Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via REUTERS
Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends a forum of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) in Moscow, Russia, March 16, 2023. Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via REUTERS

Russia's parliament speaker on Saturday proposed banning the activities of the International Criminal Court (ICC) after the court issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of war crimes.

Vyacheslav Volodin, an ally of Putin's, said that Russian legislation should be amended to prohibit any activity of the ICC in Russia and to punish any who gave "assistance and support" to the ICC.

"It is necessary to work out amendments to legislation prohibiting any activity of the ICC on the territory of our country," Volodin said in a Telegram post.

The ICC last week issued an arrest warrant for Putin, accusing him and his children's commissioner of the war crime of deporting children from Ukraine to Russia.

While the ICC can prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Ukraine, it cannot prosecute the crime of aggression due to legal constraints.

International support is growing for the creation of a special tribunal that would prosecute Russian leaders for the 13-month-old invasion of Ukraine itself, considered by Ukraine and Western leaders to be a crime of aggression.



Ukraine Downs 29 Russia-Launched Drones, One Cruise Missile 

A handout photo released by the press service of the State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine shows firefighters working at a site of a missile strike in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, central Ukraine, 08 September 2023, amid the Russian invasion. (State Emergency Service of Ukraine/EPA)
A handout photo released by the press service of the State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine shows firefighters working at a site of a missile strike in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, central Ukraine, 08 September 2023, amid the Russian invasion. (State Emergency Service of Ukraine/EPA)
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Ukraine Downs 29 Russia-Launched Drones, One Cruise Missile 

A handout photo released by the press service of the State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine shows firefighters working at a site of a missile strike in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, central Ukraine, 08 September 2023, amid the Russian invasion. (State Emergency Service of Ukraine/EPA)
A handout photo released by the press service of the State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine shows firefighters working at a site of a missile strike in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, central Ukraine, 08 September 2023, amid the Russian invasion. (State Emergency Service of Ukraine/EPA)

Ukraine destroyed 29 of 31 drones launched by Russia and one cruise missile, its air force said on Tuesday, most of them targeting the regions of Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk.

The waves of overnight attacks lasted more than three hours, the southern command of Ukraine's forces had said earlier.

Falling debris in the southeastern city of Dnipro caused a fire at a private firm that was quickly doused, said Serhiy Lysak, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Damage to manufacturing facilities at an industrial enterprise in the city of Pavlohrad led to a fire that was also put out, he added on the Telegram messaging app.

Sixteen drones were destroyed over the southern region of Mykolaiv, its governor, Vitaliy Kim, said.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports.


Germany to Host Top Climate Talks if No East Europe Candidate: UN

'Cop28 UAE' logo is displayed on the screen during the opening ceremony of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) under the theme of 'United on Climate Action Toward COP28', in Abu Dhabi, UAE, January 16, 2023. REUTERS/Rula Rouhana
'Cop28 UAE' logo is displayed on the screen during the opening ceremony of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) under the theme of 'United on Climate Action Toward COP28', in Abu Dhabi, UAE, January 16, 2023. REUTERS/Rula Rouhana
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Germany to Host Top Climate Talks if No East Europe Candidate: UN

'Cop28 UAE' logo is displayed on the screen during the opening ceremony of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) under the theme of 'United on Climate Action Toward COP28', in Abu Dhabi, UAE, January 16, 2023. REUTERS/Rula Rouhana
'Cop28 UAE' logo is displayed on the screen during the opening ceremony of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) under the theme of 'United on Climate Action Toward COP28', in Abu Dhabi, UAE, January 16, 2023. REUTERS/Rula Rouhana

The United Nations on Monday said next year’s top climate talks will take place in Germany if countries fail to designate an eastern European host, amid a reported impasse caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

A decision should theoretically be taken at COP28 in Dubai but there is no deadline, a spokesperson for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) told AFP.

“In case there is no agreement in the Eastern Europe group, COP29 would be held in Germany,” which has hosted the UNFCCC secretariat in the city of Bonn since 1996, the spokesperson added.

The same source added that the UAE would preside over the talks as the chair of the COP28.

An eastern European country is due to host the 2024 talks after this year’s COP28. But Russia is reportedly opposing an EU member holding the event as tensions with the bloc run high during the war in Ukraine.

The 23 countries that make up the COP grouping known as the Eastern European states must unanimously agree on the host country.

The Financial Times has reported that the UAE was offering to host the talks for a second year.

The COP28 presidency office said the host of the next UN climate summit needed to be agreed under the proper procedures. “This is not even on our radar. We remain focused on delivering ambitious climate action at COP28,” it added.

At the same time, Germany was “not keen” to host the summit at the Bonn headquarters of the UNFCCC, two people familiar with the discussions said, on the grounds that the city was not large enough to accommodate the huge crowd that would descend on its confines for the fortnight’s duration.

The German foreign ministry said: “It is important that the EEG group reaches a decision on the COP presidency following the procedures of the UNFCCC.”

Bonn has already hosted two COPs, last doing so in 2017 when the Fijian presidency could not host thousands of delegates for logistical reasons.


French Minister Heads to Armenia to Boost Bilateral Support 

A view of Khankendi, Azerbaijan on Monday, Oct. 2, 2023 which is also known as Stepanakert, Karabakh to Armenians. (AP)
A view of Khankendi, Azerbaijan on Monday, Oct. 2, 2023 which is also known as Stepanakert, Karabakh to Armenians. (AP)
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French Minister Heads to Armenia to Boost Bilateral Support 

A view of Khankendi, Azerbaijan on Monday, Oct. 2, 2023 which is also known as Stepanakert, Karabakh to Armenians. (AP)
A view of Khankendi, Azerbaijan on Monday, Oct. 2, 2023 which is also known as Stepanakert, Karabakh to Armenians. (AP)

France's foreign minister travels to Armenia on Tuesday to assess the country's urgent needs as it faces a flux of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh and the risk of Azerbaijani military operations on its territory, diplomats said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh issue is a delicate subject in Paris. A week after Baku took control of the enclave forcing more than 100,000 people to flee, lawmakers from all political spectrums have attacked the government for not doing enough to help the ethnic Armenians.

Many fear that a soft position on Nagorno-Karabakh could see Paris abandoning Armenia should the Azeris decide to go beyond its borders.

France's population includes between 400,000 to 600,000 people of Armenian origin, a powerful lobby group during election periods.

"There is a bilateral aspect, of political relations obviously, to strengthen Armenia, whose isolation everyone can see," said a French diplomatic source briefing reporters ahead Catherine Colonna's arrival in the Armenian capital Yerevan.

France, along with its Western allies, fear that Armenia and its existing government could waiver after its historical military ally, Russia, appeared to abandon it over the last few weeks.

Paris has already provided 12.5 million euros in humanitarian aid and its Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Saturday that Paris was ready to provide military assistance depending on Yerevan's needs.

French officials have also backed the idea of imposing EU sanctions on Baku, but admit that there is a reluctance among several member states to do so just a year after the bloc agreed a major energy deal to replace Russian supplies.

Discussions are ongoing in Brussels. In the meantime, French officials said they would work to beef up a civilian European mission alongside the border as part of efforts to deter Baku from considering further military action.

"Armenia needs security guarantees. If any country can provide it, whether it's the UK, France, the US, it's extremely important," said a senior Armenian diplomat ahead of Colonna's visit, the first by a Western minister since the Azeri operation.


Putin May Soon Say he Will Run in Russia's 2024 Election - Report

Russian President Vladimir Putin. EPA
Russian President Vladimir Putin. EPA
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Putin May Soon Say he Will Run in Russia's 2024 Election - Report

Russian President Vladimir Putin. EPA
Russian President Vladimir Putin. EPA

Russian President Vladimir Putin may soon indicate he will take part in a 2024 presidential election, Kommersant newspaper reported on Tuesday, paving the way for the Kremlin chief to stay in power until 2030.

As part of a conference in November, officials suspect that Putin may announce he will take part in the election in March next year, Kommersant reported, citing unidentified sources close to the presidential administration.

The newspaper, one of Russia's most respected, said there were, however, other scenarios for what Putin might do at the conference and the final decision rested with him. The Kremlin did not immediately comment, Reuters said.

Putin, who was handed the presidency by Boris Yeltsin on the last day of 1999, has been leader for longer than any other Russian ruler since Josef Stalin, beating even Leonid Brezhnev's 18-year tenure.

Putin turns 71 on Oct. 7.

While many diplomats, spies and officials have said they expect Putin to stay in power for life, there has yet to be any confirmation of his plans to run in the 2024 presidential vote.


Iran Arrests Spy Cell for Smuggling Starlink Equipment

A police motorcycle burns during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini (Reuters)
A police motorcycle burns during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini (Reuters)
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Iran Arrests Spy Cell for Smuggling Starlink Equipment

A police motorcycle burns during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini (Reuters)
A police motorcycle burns during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini (Reuters)

Iran's security services arrested a “spy” cell composed of five people accused of smuggling Starlink satellite internet equipment in the city of Zahedan.

They accused a prominent advisor to reformist leader Mir Hossein Mousavi and the opposition organization Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK) of orchestrating the operation.

The agency described the five detainees as members of a spy organization cooperating with the Mujahideen-e-Khalq of Iran, the most prominent Iranian opposition faction abroad.

It accused a foreign "intelligence agency" of being behind this.

A few days ago, on the first anniversary of “Bloody Friday'', Iranian authorities launched a security campaign in the Sunni-majority Balochistan province. Bloody Friday, on September 30 last year, saw more than 100 demonstrators killed.

Back then, the authorities cut off the Internet in Zahedan. The local "Haalvsh" website said that the authorities arrested 216 people, including 32 children, noting that the identities of 110 detainees had been confirmed.

Tasnim news agency quoted "reliable sources" that a foreign intelligence agency sent some of its members several communication devices and Starlink equipment to bring back chaos in Zahedan.

The agency referred to what it said was a “large-scale” plan to create chaos on the anniversary of the Zahedan unrest, noting that after all the schemes failed, the agency is trying to revive the members of the "failed project."

Tasnim did not provide details or pictures of the equipment that was confiscated, nor did it mention the identity of the detainees or their place of detention.

Last month, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk revealed that he received an Iranian warning after he promised to activate the firm's satellite internet service and provide satellite broadband services to Iranians.

The news agency accused Ardeshir Amir Arjomand, a senior advisor to Mousavi, who has been residing in Paris since the Green Movement protests against the presidential elections 2009.

It is not the first time that Iranian authorities have accused an ally of Mousavi.

Last February, the Mizan Agency, affiliated with the Iranian judiciary, quoted a "security official" that Mousavi had come "under the umbrella of the opposition Mujahideen-e-Khalq."

The opposition leader proposed a constitutional referendum, and in response, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that they were trying to raise issues such as generational differences in Iran and called on Iranian officials for "unity."

The security official said that Mousavi's statement followed direct instructions from MEK.

For 13 years, the Iranian authorities have imposed house arrest on Mousavi, his wife, Zahra Rahnavard, and his ally, Mehdi Karroubi, after calling on their supporters to protest the election results during which former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won a second term.

Mousavi's wife issued a statement a few days ago announcing that the authorities had allowed her to shop for vegetables or visit holy places, but she rejected the proposal.

She wrote in the statement: "My freedom depends on Iran's freedom."

A video circulated on social media showing a banner of Mousavi's image on one of Tehran's highways, offering support to the reformist leader.

A total of 570 political activists inside Iran issued a statement last week warning of the "gradual death" of Mousavi, his wife, and Karoubi as their house arrest continues.


Tehran Rules Out Direct Negotiations with Washington

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi meets his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York last month. (Iranian Foreign Ministry)
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi meets his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York last month. (Iranian Foreign Ministry)
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Tehran Rules Out Direct Negotiations with Washington

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi meets his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York last month. (Iranian Foreign Ministry)
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi meets his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York last month. (Iranian Foreign Ministry)

Iran has ruled out direct negotiations with the United States, but has reiterated its satisfaction with the Omani initiative which aims to break the diplomatic impasse surrounding the revival of the 2015 nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Speaking at a weekly press conference on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani considered Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq’s recent proposal as an initiative to bridge some of the gap between the parties.

“The initiatives and plans proposed by some friendly countries, including the Sultan of Oman are neither a new agreement nor a new plan, but a practical initiative to bring the points of view of the JCPOA parties closer to each other and return all parties to this nuclear deal reached in 2015,” said Kanaani.

“The diplomatic channel and the exchange of messages remain open, and this process is ongoing,” affirmed Kanaani.

However, the spokesperson went on to say: “We will not engage in direct negotiations with the US, and there is no plan for direct negotiations.”

Last year, nuclear negotiations stumbled in the final stages as Tehran held firm on its conditions, including the closure of an international investigation into nuclear activities at two secret sites where traces of uranium of human origin were found by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Western diplomats say that Iran rejected at least two drafts to reach an agreement during the past year.

The IAEA estimates that Iran has enough enriched uranium at 60% to develop three nuclear bombs. Additionally, it possesses larger quantities of 20% enriched uranium.

In parallel with the revival talks of the nuclear agreement in April 2021, Tehran began enriching uranium to 60%.


Türkiye Arrests 90 over Suspected Links to PKK

Members of the Turkish Police Special Forces stand guard in front of the Interior Ministry following a bomb attack in Ankara, Türkiye October 1, 2023. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan
Members of the Turkish Police Special Forces stand guard in front of the Interior Ministry following a bomb attack in Ankara, Türkiye October 1, 2023. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan
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Türkiye Arrests 90 over Suspected Links to PKK

Members of the Turkish Police Special Forces stand guard in front of the Interior Ministry following a bomb attack in Ankara, Türkiye October 1, 2023. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan
Members of the Turkish Police Special Forces stand guard in front of the Interior Ministry following a bomb attack in Ankara, Türkiye October 1, 2023. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan

Turkish police detained on Monday about 90 people in 18 provinces across the country over suspected links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), state media reported.

The operations, centered in Türkiye's southeastern Sanliurfa province, came after PKK claimed responsibility for a bomb attack on Sunday in Ankara.

On Sunday morning, two attackers detonated a bomb near government buildings in Ankara, killing them both and wounding two police officers.

In retaliation, the Turkish defense ministry said many militants were "neutralized", a term mostly used to mean killed, in airstrikes that destroyed 20 targets - caves, shelters and depots used by the PKK in Iraq's Metina, Hakurk, Qandil and Gara regions.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Monday that counterterrorism police have detained 20 people in raids targeting PKK-linked suspects in Istanbul and elsewhere.


Turkish, Somali Passports Found in Empty Boat on Israeli Shore

Illegal African migrants in the Mediterranean. (AFP file photo)
Illegal African migrants in the Mediterranean. (AFP file photo)
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Turkish, Somali Passports Found in Empty Boat on Israeli Shore

Illegal African migrants in the Mediterranean. (AFP file photo)
Illegal African migrants in the Mediterranean. (AFP file photo)

Israeli officials are concerned about the increase in illegal migration into Israel, as statistics showed that the number had doubled in the past two years.

According to data obtained by the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper from the Immigration Office, the rate of illegal migration via sea and land borders has increased remarkably.

In 2018, Israel recorded three incidents, compared to 14 in 2021 and about 28 in 2022.

The issue of illegal migration was highlighted by the media on Monday after authorities discovered a day earlier an empty inflatable boat on the Mediterranean shore of Netanya, north of Tel Aviv.

The Israeli army said it opened an investigation into the incident to determine how the boat entered territorial waters.

The police were searching the waters for signs of survivors after finding the passports and personal belongings of eight people, including children, in the boat. The missing individuals are reported to be Somali and Turkish nationals.

A local security official said judging by the size of the boat, it probably carried a large number of people.

The discovery of the boat has raised questions in Israel about the effectiveness of anti-migration measures. The Israeli website Walla reported that the initial military investigation showed that the rubber boat was spotted only hundreds of meters from the coast.

“It is still unclear clear why the boat was not detected and spotted at a greater distance, allowing the navy and ground forces to prepare for the possibility of an infiltration,” a military source said.

A police official said the incident was “a serious security failure.”

Officials speculated that either all the passengers drowned or were transported to a larger ship, leaving their boat to wash up in Netanya.

Migrants regularly attempt to cross the Mediterranean in a desperate attempt to reach European shores. Greece and other southern European countries, such as Italy, Spain and Malta, have emerged as the main entry point for migrants fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East.

Hundreds of migrants die or are presumed dead along the Mediterranean route before they reach their destination.


US Aid Cuts Would Be 'Devastating' for Ukraine Soldiers, Expert Say

A Ukrainian serviceman mans a machine gun in an MRAP armored vehicle on June 16, 2023. Anatolii Stepanov / AFP/File
A Ukrainian serviceman mans a machine gun in an MRAP armored vehicle on June 16, 2023. Anatolii Stepanov / AFP/File
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US Aid Cuts Would Be 'Devastating' for Ukraine Soldiers, Expert Say

A Ukrainian serviceman mans a machine gun in an MRAP armored vehicle on June 16, 2023. Anatolii Stepanov / AFP/File
A Ukrainian serviceman mans a machine gun in an MRAP armored vehicle on June 16, 2023. Anatolii Stepanov / AFP/File

Ukraine's troops would soon run short of essential ammunition and equipment if Republican hardliners succeed in stopping US military aid, undermining operations on the ground and reducing their ability to defend against Russian strikes, experts say.

Top American officials have repeatedly insisted the United States would back Kyiv for "as long as it takes," and Washington has committed more than $43 billion in security aid since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 -- over half the total from all Western donors.

But Republican opposition led Congress to remove new funding for Ukraine from a recent compromise bill to avoid a US government shutdown, highlighting that continued American support is not guaranteed, AFP said.

"It would be devastating for the Ukrainians" if US aid is halted, said Mark Cancian, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"The Ukrainian military would weaken and then ultimately perhaps collapse," though it "might be able to just hold on on the defensive," he said.

The United States has supplied a vast arsenal to help Kyiv fight to regain territory seized by Russia, ranging from small arms ammunition and artillery rounds to vehicles, sophisticated rocket launchers, tanks and mine-clearing equipment.

"Militaries in conflict need a continuous flow of weapons and supplies and munitions to replace what's destroyed and gets used up," Cancian said.

If US aid were completely cut off -- something the White House insists will not happen -- the impact would not be immediate, given that previously authorized assistance is still in the pipeline.

"It would take probably a couple of weeks before we see effects on the battlefield," he said, and Moscow might not be able to capitalize even then as "the Russians are pretty exhausted at this point."

Away from the front lines, an end to US aid would leave gaps in Ukraine's air defenses, which are made up of systems from multiple countries that cover different altitudes and must be continually resupplied with munitions.

These defenses play a key role in protecting Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure from frequent drone and missile attacks by Russia.

Keeping 'its word'
"You can't really just... replace one system with another system if they operate in slightly different ways and deal with different threats," said James Black, assistant director of the defense and security research group at RAND Europe.

"If you took out the kind of US component of that, then you necessarily degrade the... effectiveness" of the entire integrated system, he said.

Dozens of countries -- especially in Europe -- have provided military aid to Ukraine, and while they could increase support, picking up all the slack left by Washington would be a major long-term challenge.

It would require a "years and decades-long effort to get Europe to a place where (it) could fully replace the US as a kind of military power, or a defense industrial power," Black said.

That "isn't a comfortable timeline if you're Ukraine, where you'd need support in... weeks and months."

What the Republicans controlling the House of Representatives will do next is unclear.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy -- members of whose Republican party were behind the removal of assistance for Kyiv from the bill to avert the shutdown -- said Sunday he would "make sure that the weapons are provided for Ukraine."

But the Republican leader indicated the political maneuvers to come when he said that Ukraine will only get help if there is more done for security against illegal immigration on the US-Mexican border.

"They're not going to get some big package if the border is not secure," he told CBS.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin -- who played a key role in forging an international coalition to back Ukraine, and then in coordinating assistance -- called over the weekend for Congress to take action.

Lawmakers should make good on "America's commitment to provide urgently needed assistance to the people of Ukraine as they fight to defend their own country against the forces of tyranny," he said in a statement.

"America must live up to its word and continue to lead."


Ukraine Shells Russian Village with Cluster Munitions, Says Russian Official 

A road sign damaged by cluster munition is seen following a military strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine June 10, 2022. (Reuters)
A road sign damaged by cluster munition is seen following a military strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine June 10, 2022. (Reuters)
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Ukraine Shells Russian Village with Cluster Munitions, Says Russian Official 

A road sign damaged by cluster munition is seen following a military strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine June 10, 2022. (Reuters)
A road sign damaged by cluster munition is seen following a military strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine June 10, 2022. (Reuters)

Ukraine fired cluster munitions at a Russian village near the Ukrainian border on Tuesday, damaging several houses, the governor of Russia's Bryansk region said.

According to preliminary information, there were no casualties in the shelling of the village of Klimovo, Governor Alexander Bogomaz said on the Telegram messaging app.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the governor's statement, which he made without providing visual evidence. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.

Ukraine has received cluster munitions from the United States, but it has pledged to use them only to dislodge concentrations of enemy soldiers.

Russian officials in Bryansk and other regions bordering Ukraine have repeatedly accused Kyiv of an indiscriminate shelling by Ukraine's armed forces.

Cluster munitions are prohibited by more than 100 countries. They typically release large numbers of smaller bomblets that can kill indiscriminately over a wide area. Those that fail to explode can pose a danger for decades.