Russia says Ukraine hit border town with cluster munitions

MOSCOW (AFP) - Russia on Thursday accused Ukraine of using cluster munitions to attack a border town, injuring one person and damaging several buildings.

Moscow has repeatedly accused Kyiv of using the controversial weapons since the United States agreed to supply them in July, including to attack Russian border regions.

"The border town of Rylsk was shelled with cluster munitions from Ukraine," said Roman Starovoit, the governor of Russia's Kursk region.

Rylsk, a town of around 15,000 people, is fewer than 30 kilometres (about 20 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

"A woman received moderate shrapnel wounds. She was taken to the Rylsk Central Regional Hospital and received the necessary medical care," he said.

"Unexploded ammunition was also found. Sappers are working (on it)," he added.

Humanitarian groups have criticised the use of cluster munitions, which can indiscriminately scatter small explosive charges over a wide area.

Russia also has stockpiles of the weapons and has been accused by Ukraine and monitoring groups of using them on the battlefield and against civilian areas.