Cluster munitions kill, wound over 1,000 globally in 2025

A global network of researchers compiled an annual report concluding that cluster munitions killed or wounded at least 1,063 people in 2025, making it one of the deadliest years on record for these weapons. The vast majority of recorded victims were civilians, and the toll included at least 34 children. Casualties were documented across nine countries and territories, with Ukraine suffering the largest share for the fourth year running. The Coalition’s analysis attributes 87% of reported casualties to incidents in Ukraine, reflecting the weapon’s heavy impact amid that conflict. The report cautioned that the true number is likely higher because many incidents go unreported. By comparison, the highest single-year toll recorded previously was 1,172 casualties in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The report also tracked use, production, and other developments related to cluster munitions. It identified confirmed use by Iran, Myanmar, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, and Mali (which is a party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions). The Coalition further listed unverified allegations of use involving Israel and the US in Iran, Pakistan in Afghanistan, Houthi forces in Israel, and Israel in Lebanon, noting it could not independently confirm those claims. Evidence of new production or manufacturing activity was reported in several states, including China, India, Israel, Myanmar, North Korea, Poland, Romania, Russia, and South Korea. The report added that available information suggests the United States plans new production of cluster munitions in the future. It also noted a political shift at the United Nations, where the US and Russia voted against an annual resolution supporting the Convention on Cluster Munitions in December for the first time since the measure was introduced. On the humanitarian side, the report highlighted the lasting danger of unexploded submunitions and linked disruptions in clearance work to direct harm: cuts in US foreign assistance last year impeded clearance operations and, according to the Coalition, contributed to at least 117 deaths or injuries in 2025. The Convention on Cluster Munitions, adopted during the Oslo Process and in force since 2010, bans the use, production and stockpiling of these weapons; it currently has 112 states parties and 12 signatories, with Lithuania noted as the only country to have withdrawn (in March).