CLUSTER MUNITIONS KILL OR INJURE MORE THAN 1,000 PEOPLE IN 2025

Thu 10 September 2026:

Civilians Account for Most Casualties as Ukraine Records Highest Toll for Fourth Consecutive Year

 Cluster munitions killed or injured at least 1,063 people in 2025, one of the highest annual tolls on record, according to a report published Tuesday by the Cluster Munition Coalition, a global network of researchers.

Most casualties were civilians, including at least 34 children, the coalition said. Deaths and injuries were recorded in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Iraq, Laos, Lebanon, Myanmar, Russia, Syria and Ukraine.

Ukraine accounted for 87% of the global total, recording the highest number of casualties for the fourth consecutive year.

The report warned that the actual toll is likely higher because many casualties go unreported. The highest annual figure was recorded in 2022, when 1,172 people were killed or injured following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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Unexploded Weapons Continue to Threaten Civilians

Cluster munitions contain small compartments that disperse smaller explosives indiscriminately, posing a significant danger to civilian populations. Some of the explosives can remain undetonated long after they are scattered.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions, adopted during the Oslo Process and entering into force in 2010, was established after Norway and several other countries sought an international treaty to protect civilians from the controversial weapons.

The convention prohibits the use, production and stockpiling of cluster munitions. It has 112 states parties and 12 signatories.

Lithuania became the first and only country to withdraw from the convention in March.

Report Lists Alleged Use and New Production

The Cluster Munition Coalition reported that cluster munitions were used by Iran, Myanmar, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine and Mali, despite Mali being a party to the convention.

The report said it could not verify claims of use by Israel and the United States in Iran, Pakistan in Afghanistan, Houthi forces in Israel, or Israel in Lebanon.

Evidence of new production was found in China, India, Israel, Myanmar, North Korea, Poland, Romania, Russia and South Korea. The report also said evidence suggests the United States plans to resume production of cluster munitions in the future.

US Aid Cuts Disrupt Clearance Efforts

The United States and Russia voted against an annual United Nations General Assembly resolution promoting the convention in December, marking the first time they had opposed it since the resolution was introduced.

The report said cuts to US foreign assistance last year disrupted efforts to clear cluster munition remnants, contributing to the deaths and injuries of at least 117 people in 2025.