Ukraine launches first US-supplied, long-range missiles into Russia

The United States will soon provide antipersonnel mines to Ukraine, a U.S. official confirmed late Tuesday, in a move that followed Ukraine’s first deployment of long-range U.S.-supplied ballistic missiles in an attack on Russia.

  • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    21·
    4 days ago

    Why not? They are banned because they can last forever and blow up random people for decades after the war.

    • Valmond@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      4 days ago

      Read the article.

      They are basically deactivating after hours, days or weeks.

      So not like the old 1970 mines.

    • GBU_28@lemm.eeEnglish
      2·
      4 days ago

      No one is disputing the danger mines pose.

      From the article:

      The U.S. official said late Tuesday the United States sought commitments from Ukraine on how it will use the antipersonnel mines, with the expectation they will be deployed only on Ukrainian territory in areas where Ukrainian civilians are not living.

      The official also pointed to the function of the mines, which they said require a battery for operation and will not detonate once the battery runs out after a period of a few hours to a few weeks.

      That does not completely remove the risk, as there is still a blob of explosive in the ground. But this is overall an improvement on the improvised mines they are currently building.

      Reading this, it’s pretty clear that until landmines can be fully removed from warfare, (which isn’t happening in the foreseeable future), that the emphasis is on how they are used.

      Namely:

      Rule 81. When landmines are used, particular care must be taken to minimize their indiscriminate effects.

      https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/customary-ihl/v1/rule81

      Also of interest is that Russia (and the US) are not signed on to the anti personnel section , making things complicated. That’s no excuse to use them carte blanche but it complicates things.

      But I’m just one dude, I’m not a pro on this. I’m happy to see them used defensively, with modern tracking and disarmament techniques, rather than old school or home built devices that have no such precautions.