President Joe Biden has approved the provision of anti-personnel land mines to Ukraine, according to a US defense official. The mines will be delivered shortly, with the expectation that they will be used within Ukraine’s borders. Kyiv has committed to avoiding their use in densely populated areas. This decision aims to slow the Russian military’s advances in eastern Ukraine, where progress has been steady in recent months.
The move is part of the outgoing US administration’s effort to support Ukraine’s defense before the return of Donald Trump to the White House in January. Although Russia has used landmines extensively since its full-scale invasion in February 2022, objections over the risk they pose to civilians had previously stopped the US from sending them.
The US defense official confirmed that Ukraine agreed to use mines that are designed to be deactivated after a limited period. Additionally, Ukraine recently used US-made Atacms missiles to strike Russian targets, including in the Bryansk region. While Russia claimed to have intercepted some missiles, US officials indicated that only a few were brought down.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, threatening to consider attacks by non-nuclear states, if backed by a nuclear power, as joint assaults on Russia, raising concerns about further escalation.
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