Biden approves provision of antipersonnel mines to Ukraine – WP

The Washington Post has reported that US President Joe Biden has authorised the provision of antipersonnel mines to Ukraine.

Source: The Washington Post

Details: The Washington Post noted that this decision follows the recent approval by the White House to use long-range weapons for strikes deep into Russian territory. 

One official stated that the type of antipersonnel mines being provided is "nonpersistent", meaning they self-destruct or lose their battery charge, making them inactive and reducing the risk to the civilian population.

The official also noted that Ukrainian policymakers have committed not to deploy the mines in densely populated areas.

However, arms control experts highlighted that even nonpersistent mines pose risks to safety.

A total of four officials spoke on condition of anonymity about sensitive internal discussions within the White House.

Quote from an official: "Russia is attacking Ukrainian lines in the east with waves of troops, regardless of the casualties that they’re suffering. So the Ukrainians are obviously taking losses, and more towns and cities are at risk of falling. These mines were made specifically to combat exactly this."

"When they’re used in concert with the other munitions that we already are providing Ukraine, the intent is that they will contribute to a more effective defence."

Details: According to one of the officials, the use of these mines will be confined to Ukrainian territory, with an expected focus on Ukraine’s east.

The Washington Post added that one Ukrainian official welcomed any change in policy despite the potential risks associated with the widespread deployment of such weapons.

"Russia uses them anyway," the official said, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the issue.

However, some human rights activists criticised the US decision to supply antipersonnel mines to Ukraine, which is a signatory of the Mine Ban Treaty, calling it a "black mark" against Washington.

In 2020, the administration of then-President Donald Trump reversed the policies of Barack Obama's presidency, pointing out the strategic need for mine deployment to counter adversaries like Russia and China. This move was strongly condemned by arms control advocates.

"It will put more civilians at risk of being injured by unexploded mines, and is unnecessary from a military perspective," Biden stated at the time as a presidential candidate, describing Trump’s decision as "reckless".

The United States held a stockpile of about three million antipersonnel mines as of 2022. These mines have not been used since 1991 during the first Gulf War, except for a single incident in 2002 in Afghanistan involving one munition, according to the State Department in 2022.

The Biden administration has committed to supporting mine-clearance efforts in Ukraine after the war. One US official stated that this commitment would also extend to assisting with the clean-up of the US-supplied mines.

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