 Pentagon. Ukraine would benefit from US-supplied cluster munitions. The Pentagon says Ukraine would benefit from US-supplied cluster munitions, claiming they would be effective against Russian fortifications as Kiev presses ahead with its counter-offensive. Appearing before a House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing, Pentagon Deputy Laura Cooper was asked whether 155mm cluster bombs could help Ukraine to offset Russia's quantitative advantage in manpower, armor, and artillery. Our military analysts have confirmed that dual-purpose improved conventional munitions would be useful especially against dug-in Russian positions on the battlefield. Cooper said, referring to the cluster weapons by their formal name, dual-purpose improved conventional munitions. She added that the White House has been unable to meet Kiev's repeated requests for the bombs due to existing congressional restrictions and concerns about Allied unity. Plus the bombs carry smaller explosive sub-munitions which are released in flight and scattered across a target area typically used against personnel and lightly armoured vehicles. However, due to their tendency to leave behind undetonated duds, which can remain live in former conflict zones for decades, more than 120 nations have agreed to ban the weapon, including most NATO members. While Washington has not joined the International Convention on Cluster Munitions, Congress passed a law in 2009 which prohibited exports of any cluster bombs with a dud rate of more than 1%, which applies to most of the US stockpile.