By Michael Drummondforeign journalist

President Joe Biden has approved sending landmines to Ukraine, as he seeks to increase support for kyiv during his final days in office.

Their use is banned by more than 150 countries, but notably by the United States and Russia.

What are antipersonnel mines?

Landmines are explosives hidden on the ground and designed to detonate when enemy forces pass over or near them.

Some are built to destroy armored vehicles (anti-tank mines) while others are built to harm enemy troops (anti-personnel mines).

They can be used for a variety of purposes, including protecting installations, setting up an ambush, forcing enemy forces down a narrow route where firepower can be concentrated, and covering a retreat.

Some landmines are time-limited and therefore no longer work after a while, but others can be dangerous for decades after being planted.

Why are they controversial?

Antipersonnel landmines strike indiscriminately – harming both military personnel and civilians – and can leave their victims with lifelong injuries. Often, they are designed to maim rather than kill, so as to overwhelm the enemy’s logistical and medical resources.

The International Committee of the Red Cross says antipersonnel mines “leave a lasting legacy of death, injury and suffering.”

He adds: “Mine contamination makes large areas of land unusable, compromising food production and destroying livelihoods. The impact of landmines on communities often lasts for decades. »

The antipersonnel mines reportedly supplied by the United States are “non-persistent” and become inert after a predefined period, according to a U.S. official.

However, the Red Cross says that even these “smart” mines “indiscriminately endanger civilians when activated.”

Are they legal?

More than 150 countries, including the UK, have committed to banning their use, production, stockpiling and transfer under the 1997 Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, also known as the Landmine Treaty. ‘Ottawa.

It should be noted, however, that some major powers such as the United States, Russia and China have not signed the treaty.

Ukraine is a signatory, but has indicated it may withdraw from the treaty for military reasons.

Have landmines ever been used in Ukraine?

The United States has supplied Ukraine with anti-tank mines throughout the war, but the addition of anti-personnel mines is a change.

Since 2022 — the year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine — Mr. Putin’s forces have used at least 13 types of antipersonnel mines, according to the Associated Press.

Russia never signed the 1997 Anti-Personnel Mines Convention, but the use of such mines is considered a violation of its obligations under international law.

A 2023 report by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines also stated that Ukrainian forces may have used antipersonnel landmines in violation of the convention in and around the town of Izyum in 2022, when the town was under control Russian.