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Says military analyst Sean Bell…

The entire issue of anti-personnel landmines is emotional because of their lasting legacy.

Anti-personnel mines were originally intended to kill enemy combatants, but later models were designed to maim instead, as this was believed to be more detrimental to the enemy’s morale.

However, there is widespread and growing international concern about the indiscriminate nature of these weapons. Unlike bullets and rockets, mines can remain inactive for years, with devastating consequences for non-combatants.

Every year thousands of people suffer injuries from old mines. Last year, nearly 2,000 civilians died, 37% of whom were children.

As a result, there are international efforts to clear old minefields and also ban their future use. Against this backdrop, Joe Biden agreed last week to donate US anti-personnel mines to Ukraine.

Why did the US finally agree to provide this controversial weapon after more than 1,000 days of war?

Most old mines (including Russian ones) are activated mechanically – the weight of the victim mechanically activates the firing mechanism.

However, the US mines are activated electrically – the victim’s weight completes a circuit that causes the device to explode.

This means that US mines are only dangerous for as long as the battery holds its charge, between 1 and 40 hours, so any mine that is not activated becomes harmless over time.

Tactically, mines have the greatest utility in repelling enemy attacks, as most forces focus on speed and momentum on offense.

Although it initially appeared that Ukrainian forces had taken the initiative with their invasion of the Kursk region in August, Russia is now combining its forces – and 11,000 North Korean troops – to drive Ukrainian forces from their territory.

Vladimir Putin appears to believe that the impending change in the US administration could provide an opportunity to negotiate an end to the war. In preparation, Russia is making intensive efforts to maximize the territories gained in order to strengthen its negotiating position.

This places a huge burden on Ukraine’s overstretched military defenses, which is likely why Biden agreed to allow Ukraine to deploy ATACMS missiles in Kursk and also to supply Ukraine with anti-personnel mines.