Biden Administration Approves Anti-Personnel Mines For Ukraine In Policy Shift

The Biden administration has approved sending anti-personnel mines to Ukraine, marking a significant policy shift, according to two U.S. officials. This decision comes shortly after the U.S. authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles against Russian targets, a move that followed months of lobbying by Kyiv.

The anti-personnel mines are intended to reinforce Ukraine’s defensive lines in the eastern region, where Russian forces have made incremental progress. Despite heavy casualties reported by Ukraine, Moscow’s relentless assault, combined with Ukrainian shortages in manpower and ammunition, has enabled Russia to seize territory gradually. U.S. officials emphasize that the mines are for defensive use within Ukraine’s sovereign territory and not for offensive operations in Russia. Kyiv has reportedly assured the U.S. it will minimize civilian risks.

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The decision, first reported by The Washington Post, represents a departure from the administration’s earlier stance. Since the war’s early stages, the U.S. has supplied Ukraine with anti-tank mines to counter Russia’s armoured vehicles but refrained from providing anti-personnel mines due to their long-term dangers. Human rights organizations have condemned their use, highlighting their indiscriminate nature and the threat they pose to civilians long after conflicts end.

In June 2022, the Biden administration pledged to limit the use of anti-personnel mines, reversing a Trump-era policy. At the time, the White House announced a halt to the development and export of such mines and committed to destroying existing stockpiles, with an exception for South Korea. This new move, approved just weeks before the end of Biden’s presidency, signals a stark reversal of that pledge.

The mines provided to Ukraine will be “non-persistent,” meaning they are designed to deactivate after a predetermined period, ranging from four hours to two weeks. These mines rely on battery-powered electrical fuses and become inert once the battery depletes, reducing long-term risks to civilians.

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Russia has extensively used anti-personnel and anti-tank mines since the war began, establishing dense minefields to defend captured territory. During Ukraine’s unsuccessful counteroffensive last summer, one Ukrainian official described the density of Russian mines as “insane.” By providing non-persistent mines, the U.S. aims to bolster Ukraine’s defences without contributing to the long-lasting dangers associated with conventional mines.

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