It's Joe Biden's second major strategic U-turn in the space of a few days, but this one is more controversial, with considerable humanitarian and economic consequences for the Ukrainians. The American president has authorized the supply of antipersonnel landmines to Ukraine to help halt the Russian advance, announced US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday, November 20. Three days earlier, Biden authorized Kyiv to strike Russia in depth with American long-range missiles, known as ATACMS.

Washington justifies its decision on antipersonnel mines by a change of tactics on the part of the Russians. According to Austin, "They don't lead with their mechanized forces anymore. They lead with dismounted forces who are able to close in and do things to kind of pave the way for mechanized forces." Ukraine therefore has a "need for things that can help slow down that effort," he explained.

Neither the United States nor Russia are signatories to the antipersonnel Mine Ban Convention, adopted in 1997 and signed by 164 states, but Ukraine is. This international disarmament treaty, also known as the Ottawa Convention, prohibits the acquisition, production, stockpiling and use of aantipersonnelmines.

Biden's decision has sparked outrage among international organizations specializing in the fight against landmines. Asked for comment by Le Monde, Handicap International denounced a "terrible" measure whose humanitarian impact will be "catastrophic." Globally, 84% of landmine victims are civilians, 35% of whom are children, claims Landmine Monitor in its latest report, published on Wednesday, just hours before the US decision was made public.

"Ukrainian civilians will be the primary victims of these weapons, with very long-term consequences," warned Elliot de Faramond, spokesperson for Handicap International. "What's more, the mines kill without distinguishing between civilians and military personnel, which contravenes international humanitarian law." Ukraine using them would constitute a "flagrant violation" of the Ottawa Convention.

The American decision sets a "dangerous precedent," added de Faramond, who fears that the Ottawa Convention will be undermined, even though it has "proven its effectiveness." In 1999, antipersonnel mines claimed 25,000 victims (injured or killed), compared with 5,757 in 2023, including 580 in Ukraine, according to Landmine Monitor.

You have 71.2% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.