US President Biden Approves Anti-Personnel Mine Supply for Ukraine

US President Joe Biden has consented to supply Ukraine with anti-personnel land mines, according to a US defense official who spoke to the BBC. This decision is viewed as an effort to impede the consistent advancement of Russian troops in eastern Ukraine over recent months. The official, whose identity was not disclosed, stated that these mines would be delivered promptly, with Washington anticipating their deployment within Ukrainian territory. Furthermore, the official indicated that Ukraine had committed to refraining from using the mines in areas with high population density. In a distinct development, the US State Department declared its intention to close its embassy in Kyiv, having “received specific information of a potential significant air attack on 20 November”. A statement from the department affirmed, “Out of an abundance of caution, the embassy will be closed, and embassy employees are being instructed to shelter in place.” “The US embassy recommends US citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced.” The embassy had previously issued comparable advisories concerning potential air attacks around New Year and Ukraine’s Independence Day in August. The Italian and Greek embassies also announced their temporary closure subsequent to the US warning. Ukraine’s defense intelligence asserted that Russia was disseminating alerts regarding large-scale missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, characterizing this as a “massive information and psychological attack against Ukraine.” The governmental body implored Ukrainians to rely exclusively on information from official channels and to not disregard air raid alerts. Overnight, significant drone attacks were reported by both Ukraine and Russia on their respective territories. It was not immediately clear if any casualties had occurred. The delivery of anti-personnel land mines constitutes the most recent action by the departing US administration aimed at reinforcing Ukraine’s war efforts prior to Donald Trump’s return to the White House on 20 January. For Ukrainian forces endeavoring to impede Russian advances along the extensive eastern front line, these mines are considered vital. Russia’s current tactical approach involves deploying small contingents of soldiers—occasionally numbering no more than three to five individuals—who advance on foot or motorbikes behind Ukrainian positions. These personnel are frequently killed or apprehended. Nevertheless, in besieged localities such as Chasiv Yar and Kurakhove, Ukrainian analysts report that squads are sometimes deployed every 20 minutes for several hours, creating difficulties for Ukrainian troops. “It’s very difficult to deal with,” Serhiy Kuzan of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre conveyed to the BBC. He further stated, “We need more anti-personnel mines.” A substantial portion of the combat is unfolding in the rural sectors of the Donbas, specifically in wooded regions interspersed with expansive open farmland. With a considerable part of the civilian populace already having been evacuated, Ukraine asserts that the tactical deployment of “non-persistent” mines presents minimal danger to non-combatants and is critically important for impeding Russia’s advance. Russia has extensively deployed landmines since the commencement of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. However, international opposition to the deployment of such weaponry, based on the risk they pose to civilians, had previously deterred the Biden administration from authorizing their provision. The US defense official confirmed to the BBC that Ukraine had committed to deploying only mines designed to remain active for a finite duration. The US “non-persistent” mines provided by the US are distinct from those used by Russia, as they become inert after a pre-established timeframe, spanning from four hours to two weeks. These devices are electrically fused and necessitate battery power for detonation; they will not detonate once their battery power is exhausted. Washington has already been supplying anti-tank mines to Ukraine, but the anti-personnel land mines—which can be deployed swiftly—are engineered to impede the progress of ground forces. Russia and the US are not signatories to the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use or transfer of anti-personnel landmines, although Ukraine is a signatory. Nevertheless, since Russia’s full-scale invasion, it is estimated that over 20% of Ukrainian territory has become contaminated with mines. Earlier, confirmation was received that US-made longer-range Army Tactical Missile System (Atacms) missiles had impacted targets within Russia, merely days after reports surfaced indicating the White House had authorized their deployment. Russia’s defense ministry reported that the strike on Tuesday morning had targeted the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine to the north. It claimed that five missiles were intercepted and one caused damage, with its fragments initiating a fire at a military installation. However, two US officials stated that preliminary indications suggested Russia had intercepted only two missiles out of approximately eight launched by Ukraine. The BBC has been unable to independently corroborate these divergent figures. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Washington of seeking to escalate the conflict. The Kremlin has pledged to retaliate. On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin endorsed modifications to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, establishing new criteria under which the nation would contemplate deploying its nuclear arsenal. The revised doctrine now stipulates that an attack originating from a non-nuclear state, if supported by a nuclear power, will be regarded as a joint assault on Russia. In a comment regarding these changes, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated: “Since the beginning of its war of aggression against Ukraine, [Russia] has sought to coerce and intimidate both Ukraine and other countries around the world through irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and behaviour.”