U.S. Greenlights Anti-Personnel Mines for Ukraine in Response to Russian Tactics

Anti-personnel mines will be sent to Ukraine by the Pentagon, which is something that U.S. officials say is necessary to fight Russia's changing military strategies. The news is part of a $275 million package of security help that also includes weapons, artillery, and other tools.

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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters that the choice was made because of how things are changing on the battlefield. Austin stressed that the mines were meant to slow down Russian progress, especially as Moscow got used to smaller, less centralized combat units. "They asked for these, so I think it's a good idea," he said.

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The U.S. used to avoid sending anti-personnel mines because they were afraid they would hurt civilians, so this was a big change in strategy. A treaty with more than 100 countries has banned these kinds of weapons, but the U.S. has not signed it. Humanitarian groups are strongly against it and warn of the dangers to civilians that will last long after the fight is over.

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To ease these worries, U.S. officials made it clear that the mines being sent are meant to reduce long-term risks. Because they are electrically fused and run on batteries, these devices turn off after four hours to two weeks, making it less likely that they will go off by mistake. Ukraine has also promised to only use the mines inside its lines and in ways that keep civilian deaths to a minimum.

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In the last week, the U.S. has made two big changes to how it gives military help to Ukraine. Earlier, officials permitted Ukraine to use American long-range weapons on Russian soil. These choices show that Washington is becoming more willing to give Ukraine weapons it had previously refused, like cluster bombs and depleted uranium rounds, even though Russian and North Korean forces are still putting more pressure on the country.

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It is clear that these steps are necessary from a strategic point of view, but there is still discussion about how they will affect people's lives.

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