Biden green light to US landmines by Ukraine

Intended to slow down advance of Russian ground troops: Defence secy Lloyd Austin

E Biden administration will )w Ukraine to use American)plied antipersonnel land nes to help it slow Russia's tlefield progress in the War, Defence Secretary Lloyd stin said on Wednesday, as \ US and some other Western bassies in Kyiv stayed closed er a threat of a major Rus:n aerial attack on the rainian capital. :peaking to reporters during rip to Laos, Austin said the ft in Washington's policy on tipersonnel land nes for Ukraine ows changing tacs by the Russians. lustin said Rus-n ground troops e leading the movent on the battleld, rather than ces more protected armored carriers, Ukraine has 6a ed for things that I help slow down that effort the part of the Russians.' ssia's bigger army is slowly shing Ukraine's outnum'ed army backward in the tern Donetsk region. lntipersonnel land mines Je long been criticised by Irities and activists because y present a lingering threat civilians. Austin countered.t argument. The land mines that we uld look to provide them uld be land mines that are : persistent, you know, we Lloyd.Ustin can control when they would self-activate, self-detonate and that makes it far more safer eventually than the things that they are creating on their own," Austin said.

Nonpersistent land mines generally require batteries, so overtime they become unable to detonate, making them safer for innocent civilians than those that remain deadly for years.