The United States’ decision to supply antipersonnel mines to Ukraine reflects a shift in Russia’s battlefield tactics, with Moscow increasingly favoring infantry, the defense secretary said Wednesday. Lloyd Austin.
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“Their mechanized forces are no longer in the lead. They are advancing on foot in order to approach and do things to open the way for mechanized forces,” Mr. Austin told journalists during a visit to Laos, a country long ravaged by this type of weaponry.
The Ukrainians “need things that can help slow down this effort on the part of the Russians,” he added as the advance of Russian troops accelerates in eastern Ukraine.
This turnaround comes a few days after Washington gave the green light to Ukraine to strike on Russian territory with American-made long-range missiles, a red line for Moscow.
The decision on landmines was immediately criticized by human rights groups because of the risks they pose to civilians.
Long-range missiles
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) denounced Wednesday a “disastrous” decision. The group, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, said it “will strive to get the United States to return on their decision.
US President Joe Biden said in 2022 that he would primarily ban its use, drawing a contrast at the time with Russia’s tactics in Ukraine.
However, the United States is not a signatory to the UN treaty banning antipersonnel mines.
Mr. Biden’s change of heart comes amid concerns about continued support for Ukraine once President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.
The former Republican president assured that he was able to end the war caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, in “24 hours”.
What are antipersonnel mines?
According to Mr. Austin, the mines supplied by the United States will be “non-persistent” that is to say equipped with a self-destruction or self-deactivation device, which would theoretically limit the risks for civilians.
So-called “non-persistent” antipersonnel mines can self-destruct or become inactive after losing their battery charge.
The Biden administration was similarly criticized last year for providing cluster munitions to Ukraine.
Moscow and kyiv are racing to gain the upper hand on the battlefield before Mr. Trump takes office in January 2025.
This week, kyiv fired US-supplied ATACMS missiles into Russian territory for the first time.
Laos, where Mr. Austin made his remarks, is still recovering from heavy U.S. bombing during the Vietnam War, which ended fifty years ago.
Antipersonnel mines are explosive devices that continue to kill and maim people long after conflicts have ended.
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