US Criticised for Supplying Landmines to Ukraine
The US has been accused of breaking a treaty by supplying landmines to Ukraine. The decision is seen as an attempt to stop Russian troops advancing into eastern Ukraine.
Humanitarian groups are strongly against the move. Mary Wareham from Human Rights Watch said it’s “shocking and devastating”. She added that using landmines will cause harm to civilians and make it harder to clear mines after the war.
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) also condemned the US decision. They pointed out that Ukraine signed a treaty in 1997 promising not to use landmines.
Anti-personnel landmines are hidden bombs that can hurt people when they step on them. Russian forces have been using them in Ukraine since February last year.
Campaigners worry about the danger these mines pose to civilians and the cost of clearing them after the war. The World Bank estimates it will take $37.4 billion and 25 years to clear all the landmines from Ukraine.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said they would be used on Ukrainian territory but away from populated areas. He claimed their mines are safer than those Ukraine was developing.
However, many are concerned about the use of landmines in eastern Europe. The Halo Trust, a charity that clears landmines, called it a “clear and present danger”.
The provision of landmines is the latest move by the outgoing US administration to support Ukraine’s war effort. It’s a big shift in policy for President-elect Joe Biden himself.
Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba defended the decision, saying it’s within international law. However, he acknowledged there are “moral ramifications” for human rights defenders.