US supplies mines to Ukraine: what does this mean for civilians

Biden is transferring anti-personnel mines prohibited by the conventions to Kyiv, the Washington Post writes about this, citing sources.

According to the newspaper, US President “has drawn criticism among arms control groups.” “More than 160 countries (including Ukraine – ed.) have signed an international treaty banning their use, noting that these indiscriminate weapons can cause long-term harm to civilians,” – writes the newspaper.

However, the Biden administration wants “help slow down Russia's advance”. “The Ukrainians are obviously suffering losses, and more cities and towns are at risk of falling. These mines are designed specifically to combat just that.”explained the presidential administration.

One of the officials said that the type of mines being transferred was “fickle”. They self-destruct or lose battery power, rendering them inactive for days to weeks, thereby reducing the danger to civilians. “The official noted that Ukrainian politicians have committed themselves not to install mines in densely populated areas,” – the article says.

Previously, the United States supplied Ukraine only with mines permitted by the conventions. “Claymore”which are installed above the ground and activated by the operator. Human rights activists have already stated that the US decision is “a black stain on Washington's reputation.” Human Rights Watch noted that even “fickle” mines pose a danger to civilians, require complex clearance measures and are not always reliably neutralized.

The Ukrainian army has been using anti-personnel mines for many years, the United States has been sending them for a long time, said aif.ru military expert Alexey Sukonkin.

“American mines have been used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces for a long time. I saw them with my own eyes back in 2022. <...> Literally three years before the start of the SVO, 3 million anti-personnel mines were destroyed in Europe. It's a miracle that this happened. Otherwise, all these mines would end up in Ukraine, that is, the mine danger there would be two to three times higher than it is now.”said the publication’s interlocutor.

Let us recall that in 2005 Ukraine ratified the Ottawa Convention prohibiting the production and use of anti-personnel mines.

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