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Russia's use of Ìýin its invasion of Ukraine has been compared by activists and rights groupsÌýto Moscow's , as the Ukrainian civilian death toll in the war escalates.

Rights groups and officials have accused Moscow of targeting Ukrainian towns and citiesÌýwith , devices that are intended solely for military targets but have been used by Russia in civilian areas in Syria, and now Ukraine.

Several sources on the ground and investigators from around the world have confirmed that Russia has used cluster bombs during its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

Normally air-dropped or launched from the ground, a cluster bomb contains multiple smaller explosives thatÌýcan completely devastateÌýan area the size ofÌýseveral football fields.Ìý

While intended for the battlefield, cluster munitions now "" in Ukraine with the bombs aimed at cities and towns, including schools.

While the weaponÌýhas been banned by other 100 countries due to the risks of civilian harm, Russia has not signed the agreement.

Despite Moscow's claims that , independent monitors, agencies and rights groups have all pointed to theÌýdevastating death toll in urban areas targeted by the Russian onslaught with over 100 civilians dead.

Researchers at the online investigative website Bellingcat haveÌýfound multiple instances where Russian forces have used cluster bombs around schools and hospitals in Ukraine.

Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, has reportedly been targetedÌýcountless times in such attacks that led to widespread destruction ofÌýcivilian infrastructure and homes.

Russia has used airstrikes on opposition areas to destroy Syrian civilianÌýinfrastructure - such as bakeries and hospitals - and make opposition towns and cities uninhabitable prior to major offensives on the ground.

This same scenario is also being witnessed in Ukraine.

Indications that in the middle of peace talks Russia dropped a bunch of cluster muntions on civilians in Kharkiv.

— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins)

Cluster bombs were also dropped near a pre-school in the northeastern Ukrainian town of Okhtyrka in Sumy Oblast, as was detailed in a by Amnesty International.

"There is no possible justification for dropping cluster munitions in populated areas, let alone near a school," said Agnès Callamard, the Secretary-General of Amnesty International, in response to the bombings.

"This attack bears all the hallmarks of Russia's use of this inherently indiscriminate and internationally-banned weapon, and shows flagrant disregard for civilian life."

The Ukrainian ambassador to the US has also alleged that Russia used a thermobaric bomb in Ukraine, a weapon that sucksÌýoxygen from the surrounding air to ignite a fireball.

The blast lasts significantly longer than a conventional explosive device and can vaporise human bodies near the site.Ìý

Russia is no stranger to using bannedÌýweapons during military operations. Cluster bombs have been used with devastating effectsÌýby Russian forces on Syrian towns, cities and villages,Ìýkilling and injuringÌýthousandsÌýof civilians in opposition areas.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) documented Ìýin Syria between May and July 2016, one year after Russia entered the war.

In 2019, MoscowÌý carried out hundreds of attacks each day across Idlib, Hama and Aleppo governorates that killed around 200 civilians, including 20 children.Ìý

At the time, Lama Fakih, the acting Middle East director at HRW,Ìýsaid: "The Syrian-Russian military alliance is using a cocktail of internationally banned and indiscriminate weapons on a trapped civilian population."

In 2018,ÌýRussian and Syrian regime forces reportedly droppedÌýthermobaric bombs on rebel-held enclaves in Eastern Ghouta leading to immense death and destruction.

The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at the time described the residents of the besieged Damascus suburbÌýas living in "hell on earth".

Russia has also blocked efforts by world powers and investigators to hold the Syrian regime to account for the massacre ofÌýcivilians, includingÌýthe .

The Syria war has seen over 500,000 people killed, mostly civilians as a result of regime attacks on towns and cities.

Must see. Video showing multiple attacks with thermobaric bombs (8 in total) on E. 's towns, causing massive blasts (E. - ).

— Qalaat Al Mudiq (@QalaatAlMudiq)

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