U.S. allows Ukraine mine use amid Russian strategy shift
U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, confirmed that Joe Biden's administration will allow Ukraine to use landmines supplied by the USA to support its fight against Russian forces.
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During a conversation with journalists on Wednesday, during a visit to Laos, the Associated Press reported that the policy change stems from adapting to the evolving tactics of the Russians.
Austin: Ukraine needs tools
Austin noted that Russian ground forces are now taking the lead on the battlefield, instead of relying on more protected armoured vehicles. – Therefore, Ukraine needs tools that can help slow down Russian advances – he said.
The Russian army is gradually displacing the numerically smaller Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk region in the east of the country.
Anti-personnel mines have long been criticized by charities and activists due to their ongoing threat to civilians. Lloyd Austin addressed these concerns.
– The mines we plan to supply are not permanent. We can control when they activate and when they self-destruct, which ultimately makes them much safer than the ones Ukraine produces on its own – Austin explained.
Anti-personnel mines that are "non-persistent" have a built-in self-destruction or deactivation mechanism for a specific period. In practice, this means the mine automatically detonates after a set time (e.g., several hours, days, or weeks), regardless of whether it was activated by contact with a person, or it loses the ability to explode after a specified time, becoming harmless. This way, it does not pose a long-term threat to civilians after the end of hostilities.
Ukraine can now strike Russia
The decision to supply Ukraine with anti-personnel mines was made alongside granting permission for Ukrainians to attack targets deep within Russia using weapons supplied by the USA.
– In my view, this is an example of the negligence of the American administration. The decision was made as President Joe Biden's term is ending. And there will be no need to justify it. Biden made the decision about the mines on the principle of, "Now I can." But these are still just fig leaves – commented retired Col. Piotr Lewandowski, a participant in combat missions abroad and former commander of a military base in Redzikowo, in a conversation with WP.
