Cluster munitions killed or wounded at least 1,063 people in 2025, with the vast majority of casualties occurring in Ukraine according to the Cluster Munition Coalition’s annual report released on Tuesday. The toll marks the third-highest annual total recorded since tracking began in 2010, driven heavily by ongoing warfare where unexploded bomblets continue to threaten civilian populations long after initial strikes.
Civilian Casualties Drive the 2025 Cluster Munition Toll
Civilians accounted for 87% of all cluster munition casualties recorded in 2025, according to the Cluster Munition Coalition report. These weapons, which can be fired from the ground or dropped by aircraft, explode midair and scatter smaller bomblets over wide areas. Survivors frequently suffer severe blasts and burns that demand lifelong medical care.
The 2025 figures remain close to historic highs. The coalition recorded its highest annual toll at 1,172 casualties in 2022, the year Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Coalition director Tamar Gabelnick stated that while the international treaty banning the weapons helps affected communities, “the rising human toll, continued and new use, production, and transfers by states not party are stark warnings that these gains cannot be taken for granted.”
Non-Signatory Nations Continue Production and Use
While 112 states have joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions to prohibit the weapons, neither Russia nor Ukraine has signed the treaty. According to the report, Iran, Myanmar, Russia, Thailand, and Ukraine all used cluster munitions during the reporting period. Russia has maintained that cluster munitions are lawful weapons and asserts that humanitarian problems stem solely from their improper use. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military stated that it adheres to international humanitarian law when deploying such weaponry, the report noted.
Did you know? The Cluster Munition Coalition has tracked global casualties from these weapons annually since 2010, documenting how unexploded bomblets remain hazardous on battlefields long after active fighting stops.
Beyond active deployment, the coalition found evidence of new cluster munition production in nine countries that remain outside the treaty. That list includes China, Israel, North Korea, Russia, and South Korea.
Red Cross Warns of Funding Cuts and Pushes for Universal Ban
Ahead of a mid-September conference in Vientiane, Laos, designed to review the treaty, the Red Cross has urged more governments to sign on. Fahad Ahmed, Legal Adviser at the Red Cross, emphasized the ongoing need for institutional backing, stating, “We need a larger group of states and most big military powers to join this convention.”
At the same time, humanitarian response efforts face mounting financial pressure. The Red Cross reported that funding cuts have forced the organization to scale back physical rehabilitation support for blast survivors who require specialized long-term medical care.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are cluster munitions?
Cluster munitions are weapons fired from the ground or dropped from aircraft that open in midair to scatter multiple smaller bomblets across a broad zone.
Who uses cluster munitions?
According to the Cluster Munition Coalition, countries that have not signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions—including Iran, Myanmar, Russia, Thailand, and Ukraine—used the weapons during the reporting period.
How many people were hurt by cluster bombs in 2025?
Explore our latest reporting on international security and humanitarian treaties by subscribing to our newsletter for regular updates and analysis.
Keep reading