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The Biden administration said Wednesday that it will give Ukraine antipersonnel land mines to help it slow Russia’s battlefield advances, marking the second major shift on U.S. military support for Kyiv in days.
After allowing Ukraine to use longer-range American missiles to launch strikes deeper into Russia, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the shift in Washington’s policy on antipersonnel land mines for Ukraine was needed to counter changing Russian tactics.
The war, which reached its 1,000-day milestone on Tuesday, has largely been going Russia’s way. Moscow's bigger army is slowly pushing Ukraine’s outnumbered forces backward in the eastern Donetsk region, while Ukrainian civilians are being maimed and killed by Russian drones and missiles often fired from inside Russia.
Ground troops are leading the Russian battlefield advance, rather than forces more protected in armored carriers, so Ukraine has “a need for things that can help slow down that effort on the part of the Russians,” Austin said during a trip to Laos.
The announcement comes two months before Donald Trump returns to the White House. Trump has pledged to swiftly end the war and has criticized the amount the U.S. has spent on supporting Ukraine. Officials from Joe Biden’s administration say they are determined to help Ukraine as much as possible before he leaves office.
The back-to-back announcements about helping Ukraine's military — along with unconfirmed reports Wednesday of Ukraine firing a certain British cruise missile at Russia for the first time — were likely to vex Moscow.
The U.S. and some other Western embassies in Kyiv closed for the day Wednesday in response to the threat of a major Russian aerial attack on the Ukrainian capital.
Humanitarian groups have long criticized the use of antipersonnel land mines because they present a lingering threat to civilians. Amnesty International called the U.S. decision “reckless” and a “deeply disappointing setback." And Norway’s foreign minister, Espen Barth Eide, called it “very problematic” because Ukraine is a signatory to an international convention opposing the use of land mines.
Austin pointed out that Ukraine already makes its own antipersonnel land mines, and that the U.S. has been providing Ukraine with anti-tank mines. He also tried to allay concerns about the new mines the U.S. is giving Kyiv, saying they are not persistent, meaning troops can control when they would self-detonate.
“That makes it far more safer eventually than the things that they are creating on their own,” Austin said.
The mines are are electrically fused and powered by batteries, so that when the battery runs out, they won’t detonate. They can become inert in anywhere from four hours to two weeks.
Russia already uses land mines in Ukraine, but those don’t become inert over time.
The United States also sought commitments from the Ukrainians on the use of the mines to limit harm to innocent civilians, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Ukraine would use the mines in its own country and would not put them in civilian populated areas.
The war has taken on a growing international dimension with the arrival of North Korean troops to help Russia on the battlefield — a development that U.S. officials said prompted Biden’s policy shift on allowing Ukraine to fire longer-range U.S. missiles into Russia and that angered the Kremlin.
Britain had been quietly pressing the U.S. to ease restrictions on how Western-supplied missiles are used. And on Wednesday, unconfirmed news reports said Ukraine had fired British-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles at Russia for the first time. British and Ukrainian officials didn't confirm the reports.
Officials with France's military and president’s office, meanwhile, declined to say whether Ukraine is using French long-range SCALP missiles to strike targets in Russia, citing France's military secrecy policy. French President Emmanuel Macron has been pushing for such a step for months.
After the Biden administration allowed Ukraine to attack Russia with longer-range U.S. missiles, Russian President Vladimir Putin lowered the threshold for using his nuclear arsenal, with the new doctrine announced Tuesday permitting a potential nuclear response by Moscow even to a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power.
That could potentially include Ukrainian attacks backed by the U.S.
The American diplomatic mission in Kyiv said Wednesday that it had received a warning about a potentially significant Russian air attack on the Ukrainian capital and was staying closed for the day. It anticipated a quick return to regular operations. The Spanish, Italian and Greek embassies also closed for the day, but the U.K. government and France said that their embassies remained open.
Western leaders dismissed the Russian reaction to the U.S. missile decision as an attempt to deter Ukraine’s allies from providing further support to Kyiv, but the escalating tension weighed on stock markets after Ukraine used American-made ATACMS longer-range missiles for the first time to strike a target inside Russia.
Western and Ukrainian officials say Russia been stockpiling powerful long-range missiles, possibly in an upcoming effort to crush the Ukrainian power grid as winter approaches.
Military analysts say the U.S. decision on the range over which American-made missiles can be used isn't expected to be a game-changer in the war, but it could help weaken the Russian war effort, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank.
“Ukrainian long-range strikes against military objects within Russia’s rear are crucial for degrading Russian military capabilities throughout the theater," it said.
Meanwhile, North Korea recently supplied additional artillery systems to Russia, according to South Korea. It said that North Korean soldiers were assigned to Russia’s marine and airborne forces units and some of them have already begun fighting alongside the Russians on the front lines.
Ukraine struck a factory in Russia’s Belgorod region that makes cargo drones for the armed forces in an overnight attack, according to Andrii Kovalenko, the head of the counter-disinformation branch of Ukraine’s Security Council.
He also claimed Ukraine hit an arsenal in Russia’s Novgorod region, near the town of Kotovo, located about 680 kilometers (420 miles) behind the Ukrainian border. The arsenal stored artillery ammunition and various types of missiles, he said.
It wasn't possible to independently verify the claims.
Associated Press reporters Tara Copp in Washington, Jill Lawless in London and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.
© Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
32 Comments
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theFu
Battery-powered land mines. Guess that's one way to limit the danger time, but also to make repeat customers. Even if the battery lasts 1 month, is that sufficient? 6 months or 1 yr would be better. Can't imagine that my smoke detector 9V batteries last over a year, but these only last a few weeks?
If it funnels Russians into a cut-down location, seems like a win for Ukraine.
Ukraine needs ways to hit every home that Putin sleeps in nightly. That's the only way this war can end with Ukraine remaining as a country, I fear. Trump will shortly cut-off all aid to Ukraine, so time to act is very limited.
Estimates say that up to 1M Russians have been killed in Putin's fallacy with Ukraine. That number seems high, even to me. It is over 500K Russians, but not near 1M, I don't think. Studies say that Ukraine is killing Russians at 35x the rate they were killed in Afghanistan. I'm torn. Distant relatives live just east of Ukraine in Russia, but some are also in Ukraine, no doubt.
JJE
Kyiv regime flagrantly violates yet another signed treaty - this time the UN Ottawa Treaty which is an Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. This treaty is a protocol on the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and on their destruction.
Earlier in the conflict, before Russia's limited ground operation (I.E. before 2022), it was revealed Kyiv had actually grossly violated this signed treaty by deploying banned mines, which they had previously "promised" to have destroyed.
One of the many AP mines they flagrantly deployed was the PFM-1 mine "petal mine". They brazenly did this in civilian zones in the Donetsk, killing many children.
To be fair, Kyiv has a documented history of not living up to signed agreements, so this is no surprise.
Toblerone
Nice example to the world, Sleepy Joe and Harris.
Princess Diana would be appalled.
BBC now stating the Ukrainian front could collapse anytime.
Some dude
*Kyiv regime flagrantly violates yet another signed treaty - this time the UN Ottawa Treaty which is an Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. This treaty is a protocol on the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and on their destruction.*
Try leaving Kyiv alone?
stormcrow
Yes, yes, yes! It's purely a defensive weapon. Give Ukraine as many as possible!
JJE
This won't change the conflict. It will get more Ukrainian civilians killed/maimed.
US will provide two types of AP mine - the M14 and M16 - of which they have large legacy stocks from the Cold War.
Russian Forces have extensive combat engineer squads that are well-versed and equipped for demining. The above-mentioned mines are very familiar, so this is more of a cope mechanism.
Previous post relates to this flagrant violation of a signed treaty. Even Kyiv's European partners are appalled at this reprehensible conduct.
OssanAmerica
Yakking about Ukraine "violating" anything when it is simply trying to defend itself from an unprovoked attack and invasion by Russia is stupid.
Russia's continuing invasion of Ukraine is a violation of
United Nations CharterArticle 2(4) of the UN Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
Russia's actions in Ukraine, including the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the full-scale invasion in 2022, breach this provision.
1994 Budapest MemorandumUkraine agreed to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for security assurances from Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Russia pledged to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity but has since violated this agreement.
Helsinki Final Act (1975)Signed by the USSR (including Russia as its successor state), this act obliges signatories to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine contravenes this agreement.
Customary International LawThe invasion violates customary international law norms, which prohibit aggression against other nations and require respect for sovereignty.
International Humanitarian LawReports of attacks on civilians, forced deportations, and other war crimes during the conflict also suggest violations of the Geneva Conventions, which protect non-combatants in war.
International Court of Justice (ICJ) RulingIn March 2022, the ICJ ordered Russia to suspend its military operations in Ukraine. Russia’s continued actions disregard this ruling.
Toblerone
This won't change the conflict. It will get more Ukrainian civilians killed/maimed.
Exactly. The warmongers love it. It gives them “an endorphin rush”.
JJE
Interesting thing here is Moscow was just pulling their leg.
And it's not hard to do. Basically, they sent aloft a wing of TU-95 bears from Engels and Arkhangelsk, scrambled some foxhound K-variants and conducted launch maneuvers. What are training exercises could be a mass launch.
Next time they will pull the other leg.
Plus, since the Nov 17 attacks, Russian command needs time to assess which targets require more degrading moving forward.
This also indicates that Zelensky's 'rocket man' attacks are nothing more than symbolic pinpricks, designed for a hybrid PR-war strategy.
Think about it: according to Zelensky, Russia has launched over 6000-7000 total missiles at Ukraine during the war thus far, and one can see Ukraine is still kicking. But Russia - vastly larger and more resourceful than Ukraine - is supposed to be battered by 50 ATACMS and 10 French/UK missiles - and knocked out of the fight. Give your brain a chance.
Ukraine will continue getting methodically deconstructed with no delay, as RFAF proceed with the planned airstrike packages this winter campaign season. That's when the other leg will feel it.
Toblerone
If it funnels Russians into a cut-down location, seems like a win for Ukraine.
Too many war movies and/or hanging out with fellow ignoramuses.
wallace
New $280 million aid package.
The American embassy has reopened.
falseflagsteve
More lunacy from Biden, it’s a waste. The war is over, all further deaths are needless.
wallace
falseflagsteve
Will Putin listen to that?
dobre vam zajebava
just another sign that Kiev junta and its backers are desperate...as they going to use banned mines...princess Diana what do you think?
dobre vam zajebava
one more question
U.S. to give antipersonnel mines to Ukraine to help slow the Russian advance.
WHAT RUSSIAN ADVANCE dear trio?
we read here everyday about success of UA offensives,superiority of NATO wunderwaffen and we read here daily about UA victories at all the fronts?
large group of your readers still believes that Ukraine prevails-are you going to betray them and their feelings?
when some of us wrote same that UA have zero chance to win and reality on the ground and in your published stories is harshly different-we get 24hrs bans or our lines were removed as OFF TOPIC etc...?
are you saying that you have openly lied to us all the time?
JJE
Precisely. The basic premise of this story screams panic-mode from the main western sponsor for their proxy and an obvious admission Kyiv-regime forces are in dire straits.
Clearly a desperation move but one unlikely to alter the trajectory of the conflict. They've really shed any pretense of assumed common decency by going for the landmine option. Human rights groups have blasted the Biden administration and Kyiv for this shocking decision.
As for Biden, he has broken a public promise he made in 2022 to restrict landmine use.
He keeps good company because Ukraine is signatory to the 1997 deal, which means accepting Biden’s civilian-killing-mines is a violation of its treaty obligations.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Should have been done day 1 of russia's invasion. Ukraine should have all weapons at its disposal given the heinous nature of the assault against it.
dobre vam zajebava
taiwanisnotchina
was there any reason why they did not do as you are saying/did you send them at least-email,say something like I am specialist for landmines or so?
TaiwanIsNotChina
Gee what's more important? Upholding the treaty Russia is not a part of or Ukraine existing? Let me consider that one for a second.
Good on them. Hopefully they are manufacturing them a full tilt and much worse.
And yet they didn't invade a sovereign country in violation of four international agreements.
RichardPearce
But, wasn't the purpose of first giving the Azovians all those missiles, and then giving them free rein on how to use them supposed to allow them to ADVANCE making the giving of them a supply of banned under international law landmines to 'slow the Russian advance' (aka the Azovian retreat) pointless.
TaiwanIsNotChina
The educated will note that Ukraine, a peaceful country, was not ready to go up against a deceitful country preparing for war for 80 years.
JJE
The is basically a very frank admission by the bean counters in Washington that Kyiv will never return to 2014 borders, let alone 1991. And the regime probably understands that, just can't say it publicly. Even if they don't, it is entirely irrelevant.
JJE
More interesting were recent Kremlin statements about a possible settlement.
Freezing the conflict is not a possibility: which means border changes with full UN recognition.
A few AP landmines won't stop that.
JJE
To counter any mines, RFAF will employ existing methods and specialized heavy equipment, but also more intensive artillery saturation-style creeping barrages, land and air drones, "turtle tanks" and various other methods.
This won't stop the Russian Army. Never has, never will.
dobre vam zajebava
UA is DONE dear prevailers...
I have expected here odes for new "gamechangers" from USA and UK and new waves of UA victory "news"...tishinka=vseposhlinaxui
TaiwanIsNotChina
Will never happen. None of russia's other disgraces have UN recogntion.
TaiwanIsNotChina
I hope they are good at doing it under fire.
But they understand that russia continues to be the most threatening disgrace in the world.
isabelle
It is nothing of the sort. Your logic is severely lacking, and appears to be driven purely by the Kremlin line.
Again, no it isn't.
Again, no it isn't.
Yes, it will. It will hinder the Russian invaders and get more of them killed/maimed, which is an unqualified good thing.
KnightsOfCydonia
I bet.
The human waves will continue.
Toblerone
BBC again predicting Ukraine’s front will collapse. Nothing will prevent it happening.
Toblerone
when some of us wrote same that UA have zero chance to win and reality on the ground and in your published stories is harshly different-we get 24hrs bans or our lines were removed as OFF TOPIC etc...?
Yep!
Toblerone
The educated will note that Ukraine, a peaceful country, was not ready to go up against a deceitful country preparing for war for 80 years.
You really do have no idea of the reality.