The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine draws the attention of the international community to Russia's deliberate use of cluster munitions against civilians in the course of its aggression against Ukraine.
On October 22, 2026, the aggressor state committed a war crime by striking the very heart of the Ukrainian capital with a ballistic missile carrying a cluster warhead. The missile hit the historic center of Kyiv, in an area of world-renowned holy sites between the Holy Presentation Monastery and the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This treacherous strike is direct proof that Moscow deliberately targets civilian infrastructure, residential neighborhoods and sacred sites. These sites are an important part of the cultural and spiritual heritage not only of Ukraine but of all humanity. The strike damaged monastery buildings, residential buildings, shops, cafés, and other civilian infrastructure. There were no military facilities nearby.
Cluster munitions are indiscriminate weapons whose main purpose is to inflict maximum suffering on civilians and to contaminate Ukrainian land.
The MFA of Ukraine stresses that such actions by the Kremlin regime are a gross violation of international humanitarian law and of the laws and customs of war. They also show the Russian Federation's complete disregard for the fundamental values of humanity.
Russia's actions grossly violate the core norms of international humanitarian law. These include the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which defines intentional attacks against civilians as a war crime.
We reiterate that war crimes and crimes against humanity are not subject to any statute of limitations. Ukraine's competent authorities are documenting these Russian atrocities and opening criminal proceedings to bring those responsible to justice.
We call on partner states and international organizations to respond decisively and firmly to these Russian crimes, in a manner commensurate with their unprecedented scale and brutality. An adequate response to Russia's systematic use of indiscriminate weapons against civilians must include significantly increased pressure on the aggressor, in particular through stronger sanctions.
We call on our partners and allies to step up deliveries to Ukraine of all types of air defense systems and the necessary ammunition for them, to expand our long-range strike capabilities, and to continue scaling up investment in Ukraine's defense industry. Protecting lives requires resolve and strength.