By Andrew E. Kramer and Helene Cooper
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Wednesday that the Biden administration has approved the provision of American-made anti-personnel mines to Ukraine, aimed at strengthening their defenses in response to increasing Russian offensives, particularly as Ukrainian front lines in the east are under pressure.
This measure is part of a sequence of actions undertaken by both Russia and the U.S. regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, escalating the already heightened tensions between the two nations.
The White House granted Ukraine the authority to utilize longer-range American missiles against targets within Russia, an action the Ukrainians executed for the first time on Tuesday. In reaction, Moscow established a new military doctrine that lowers the threshold for the possible use of nuclear weapons.
Austin explained that the U.S. decision was influenced by Russia’s growing dependence on infantry for leading assaults rather than armored vehicles. While traveling in Laos, Austin remarked that the changing tactics employed by the Russians necessitated support for Ukraine to hinder their efforts. “They’ve requested these, and I believe it’s a sound strategy,” Austin stated.
The mines provided to Ukraine are categorized as “nonpersistent,” designed to self-detonate after a specified duration, thereby minimizing the long-term risk to civilians.
This action is particularly significant as it forms part of a series of initiatives taken during the concluding weeks of Biden’s presidency aimed at reinforcing support for Ukraine. Previously, President Joe Biden has aimed to balance U.S. assistance to Ukraine against his apprehension about crossing Russian “red lines,” which could result in direct conflict between Washington and Moscow.
However, since the Nov. 5 election, which is set to return former President Donald Trump to office, officials in the Biden administration have indicated that the prospective advantages of their actions now outweigh the risks of escalation.
This announcement occurred amid heightened tension in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and throughout the country. The U.S. closed its embassy in Kyiv, cautioning of a “significant air assault,” as Ukraine and its allies prepare for more robust attacks by Russia.
Mines have proven to be devastating in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with extensive use by Russian forces. These explosive devices can be manually placed or dispersed remotely with rockets or drones behind enemy lines, targeting soldiers as they maneuver between their positions, a tactic useful for launching offensives.
In defense, land mines have shown substantial effectiveness. A widespread network of dense minefields in southern Ukraine hindered a Ukrainian counteroffensive in the summer of 2023, causing significant, though undisclosed, casualties among Ukrainian troops.
Most anti-personnel mines resemble small explosives, similar in size to a hockey puck, activated by the weight of a footstep.
Despite significant criticism from human rights organizations regarding the impact of mines on civilian populations, which can persist for years or decades after conflicts conclude due to unmarked or forgotten minefields, the Biden administration proceeded with its decision. According to the United Nations, Ukraine is presently the most heavily mined nation worldwide.
While most countries, excluding the United States and Russia, have signed the 1997 Ottawa Treaty banning land mines, Ukraine is a signatory of this agreement.
The U.N. reported in October that since 2022, there have been 407 civilian fatalities and 944 injuries in Ukraine attributed to mines and unexploded ordnance.
A 2023 investigation by Human Rights Watch highlighted the deployment of rocket-dispersed land mines by Ukrainian forces in the vicinity of Izium in 2022. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry indicated it would look into these claims. As a non-signatory, the United States is not required to refrain from providing land mines to other nations.
A spokesperson from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense did not provide a response regarding the transfer of U.S. land mines to Ukraine.
Since 2014, Russia has proliferated mines across extensive areas of Ukraine as combat lines have shifted through forests, agricultural lands, and settlements. They have also employed various victim-activated traps, including explosives that detonate upon opening a car door, a type of weapon that is also prohibited under the mine ban treaty.
