The US President, Joe Biden, has agreed to supply Ukraine with anti-personnel landmines, a US defence official said on Tuesday, what appears to be an attempt to slow Russian troops, which are steadily advancing in eastern Ukraine over recent months.
The official spoke on the condition of anonymity and said that such mines would be soon delivered and that Washington expects them to be used on Ukraine's territory.
Of course, Ukraine was not permitted to employ those mines even in densely populated areas.
The US embassy in Kyiv meanwhile reported it had "received specific information of a potential major air attack on 20 November."
It said in a statement, "Out of an abundance of caution, the embassy will be closed, and embassy employees are being instructed to shelter in place.".
"The US embassy advises U.S. citizens to take immediate shelter in case of an air alert announcement".
Ukraine, throughout the night, reported major drone attacks against its territory, while Russia reported large quantities of Iranian-made drones were launched against it.
There was no immediate word on casualties.
Russian gains mount as Ukraine's Kursk gambit collapses
Kyiv fires US-supplied longer-range missiles into Russia, Moscow claims
Putin sanctions changes to Russia's nuclear doctrine.
Aptly, though, another new step taken by the departing US administration to strengthen Ukraine's war effort before Donald Trump returns to the White House on 20 January is arming with anti-personnel land mines.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, landmines have been used freely, but their use posed a threat to civilians, and that had previously restrained the Biden administration from giving its nod for the weapons.
Ukraine promised, according to the BBC, that it would use only "non-persistent" mines, which cease to function after a predetermined period and lie limp in the ground.
The big difference between the US "non-persistent" mines and those reported to have been used by Russia is that US "non-persistent" mines extinguish themselves after as much as two weeks-or four hours. They're electrically fused and blow up only after they consume the battery that powers them. That is the end.
The White House has already sent anti-tank mines to Ukraine, but the anti-personnel land mines are deployable quickly and are meant to slow the gains of ground forces.
It was earlier this week confirmed that US-made longer-range Army Tactical Missile System (Atacms) missiles had attacked targets inside Russia just days after reports emerged that the White House had granted permission for their use.
Moscow said five missiles were shot down, and one had caused damage - with its fragments setting fire to a fragment of a military facility.
It said the strike was on the Bryansk region bordering Ukraine to the north on Tuesday morning.
But two US officials said initial indications suggested Russia had intercepted just two missiles out of around eight fired by Ukraine.
Moscow's foreign minister has accused Washington of trying to make things worse.
Russia says it will respond in kind.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed changes on Tuesday to Russia's nuclear doctrine. The policy outlines what are now new circumstances under which the country will strike from its arsenal.
An attack launched by a non-nuclear state, but supported with a nuclear power, will now be termed as a joint attack against Russia.
Commenting on the development, US state department spokesperson Matthew Miller said: "Since launching this war of aggression against Ukraine, [Russia] has attempted to bully and coerce not only Ukraine but the rest of the world through irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and behavior.
0 Comments