Russia uses prohibited cluster munitions in residential areas of Ukraine. This is reported in the investigation of the International group of journalists Bellingcat.

"In recent days photos and videos in social networks allowed Bellingcat, as well as other conflict researchers and open source investigators, to geolocate places of use of several cluster munitions in residential areas in Ukraine", - reads the report.

HRW reportedly investigated and verified the use of cluster munitions that fell very close to a Ukrainian hospital, placing the blame on Russia and calling on Russian forces to "stop using cluster munitions and illegal strikes with weapons that indiscriminately kill and injure."

According to investigators, photos and videos published on the Internet show even more widespread use of such weapons in residential areas. Kharkiv also appears to have been the target of multiple cluster munitions strikes.

"On February 25, one of these strikes is seen, where multiple submunitions explode over a large area. This stretch of road (50.048093, 36.189638) runs through residential neighborhoods in close proximity to the Children's Hospital. Although for this attack it is impossible to establish the direction of arrival or the side that struck, it can be done for several other strikes, also struck in Kharkiv," Bellingcat noted.

It is reported that at the moment, it seems that Russia is using missiles with cluster ammunition for multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) BM-27 "Uragan" and BM-30 "Smerch". This can be established by the characteristic ammunition of each of these systems.

Bellingcat notes that these missiles have a cluster warhead, which contains sub-munitions and which at the end of the flight separates from the tail section with the engine. After the dispersal of the munitions, the rocket motor and the remains of the warhead continue on their trajectory and often hit the ground.

In addition, it is reported that there is at least a single case where cluster munitions apparently hit the area of a kindergarten.

"On February 25, an artillery strike in the town of Akhtyrka about 100 kilometers west of Kharkiv killed several people (50.309797, 34.869819). Reportedly, children were among them," the report said.

Cluster munitions are a type of weapon that disperses small explosive submunitions over a target. These submunitions disperse and explode over a large area, increasing damage and casualties.

In less than 5 days, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights recorded 536 civilian casualties in Ukraine as a result of the Russian Federation attack, including 136 deaths.