Drones and cluster munitions appear set to play contrasting roles in a new phase of the conflict in Ukraine. Just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed a "concrete" security agreement with NATO on Wednesday, Russia responded by launching drones over the cities of Kyiv, Mykolaiv and Odesa. Intelligence analysts say the timing of the attacks were no coincidence.

Ukraine's military says it shot down 20 Iranian-made Shahed drones and two Kaliber missiles launched towards the southern city Mykolaiv from Black Sea vessels. On Thursday, one person was reported to have been killed by drone debris in Kyiv, but emergency services later stated the death wasn't linked to falling debris.

R‌ussia has continued to use drones against Ukraine, but the Shahed or kamikaze drone is considered primitive and slow moving compared with more sophisticated payload-carrying drones being used in modern warfare.‌

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‌When Russia began using Shahed's in Ukraine, military analysts predicted it would be a matter of time until Ukraine's military acquired the necessary skills to accurately intercept them. Locals now boast shooting them down with pistols and Kalashnikov rifles.

But another weapon could prove pivotal - and controversial - as the conflict progresses. 

‌Ukraine's President Volodomyr Zelenskyy returned home on Wednesday evening with new pledges of weapons support from several European countries including the UK, Germany and France.

‌On Thursday a Ukraine military official announced controversial cluster munitions have arrived from the U.S. - part of an $800 million weapons support package the Biden Administration committed to on July 7.

‌A total of 123 countries are signatories to a ban on cluster munitions on grounds of humanitarian consequences and unacceptable civilian harm.

‌Cluster munitions are air dropped or ground launched explosives that release mini-explosives or bomblets. Due to their inaccurate nature and 40% rate of failing to explode on impact, civilians can be killed and injured by unexploded bomblets long after a conflict has ended.

Ukraine has said it will use cluster bombs only to "de-occupy" its territory and that it will not use them in urban areas. President  Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine's assurances during a NATO summit on Wednesday.

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