Putin warns Russia has 'sufficient stockpile' of cluster bombs; says will use if needed (WATCH)

President Vladimir Putin warns of potential use of cluster bombs if deployed against Russian forces in Ukraine, amid tensions in the region.

President Vladimir Putin asserted that Russia possesses a 'sufficient stockpile' of cluster bombs and maintains the prerogative to employ them if these munitions are utilized against Russian forces in Ukraine. "Оf course, if they are used against us, we reserve the right to take reciprocal action," Putin said in a state TV interview, excerpts of which were published on Sunday.

Ukraine has received cluster bombs from the United States, despite being banned in over 100 countries. However, Kyiv has vowed to utilize them solely to dislodge concentrations of enemy soldiers.

The shelling of Zaporizhia has been blamed on both Ukraine and Russia. Russia attempted to conquer Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine last year, however it does not fully govern the area. Zaporizhzhia, the region's capital, is still under Ukrainian administration.

On Saturday, the presidential administration of Ukraine accused Russia of hurting three innocent bystanders in a town in Zaporizhzhia. In the meantime, officials with support from Russia asserted that a nearby school had been demolished by Kyiv forces.

Along with claiming to have destroyed many Ukrainian armament stores in the Zaporizhzhia region on Saturday, Russia's defence ministry denied Ukrainian reports that Moscow was actively attempting to halt their progress there by aggressively shelling the territory.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy vowed once again to liberate his country from Russian occupation on Saturday, he said, “We cannot leave any of our people, any towns and villages under Russian occupation..Wherever the Russian occupation continues, violence and humiliation of people reign."