Putin issues new nuclear doctrine after U.S. lets Ukraine strike inside Russia
NBCDec 04, 2024
Biden Approves Sending Anti-Personnel Mines to Ukraine
Above: Police experts and rescuers load onto a special truck, a fragment of a downed Russian hypersonic missile Zircon, which struck a five-storey residential building in Kyiv during a "massive" aerial barrage on November 17, 2024. Image copyright: Sergei Supinksky/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
In another policy reversal to have taken place in the last weeks of his presidency, US Pres. Joe Biden has approved the provision of anti-personnel mines to Ukraine, US officials briefed a number of publications on Tuesday.
The move follows the decision earlier this week to allow Ukraine to use long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems, known as ATACMS, on Russia's Kursk region — previously rejected over fears of drawing the US into the conflict with Russia, as well as American stockpile concerns.
According to US officials who spoke to the Washington Post, which first reported the development on anti-personnel mines, the decision was taken to stymie Russian advances in eastern Ukraine.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Unlike those mines that Russia has indiscriminately spread across Ukraine to devastating effect, the mines provided by the US for Ukraine's use will be "non-persistent," and will help them better protect their sovereign territory from Russian aggression.
Establishment-critical narrative
By his own admission, Biden has said the use of mines is reckless as they often harm civilians to a much greater extent than any military impact. Biden seems to have no problem contradicting himself when it comes to policy.
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