Ukraine-Russia latest: Biden approves anti-personnel mines for Ukraine as US closes Kyiv embassy over attack threat

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Russian President Vladimir Putin approved changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine yesterday, setting out new conditions under which the country would consider using its arsenal.

The doctrine now says an attack from a non-nuclear state, if backed by a nuclear power, will be treated as a joint assault on Russia.

The update was proposed in September and rubber stamped on Tuesday, the 1,000th day of the war with Ukraine.

The change follows Washington’s decision on Monday to allow Ukraine to fire long-range US missiles into Russia, who warned of “an appropriate and tangible” response.

On Tuesday morning, a strike – confirmed to have used US long-range missiles – targeted the Bryansk region bordering Ukraine to the north.

With the changes, the doctrine now says that a large attack on Russia with conventional missiles, drones or aircraft could meet the criteria for a nuclear response, as could an attack on Belarus or any critical threat to Russia’s sovereignty.

Any aggression against Russia by a state which is a member of a coalition would also be seen by Moscow as aggression from the whole group.

Putin has threatened the use of nuclear weapons before, and Ukraine has criticised it as “nuclear sabre-rattling” to deter its allies from providing further support.

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The provision of anti-personnel land mines is the latest move by the outgoing US President and his administration to bolster Ukraine’s war effort, but what are they?

Anti-personnel land mines are designed to detonate when a person comes in close proximity.

A US defence official confirmed to the BBC that Ukraine had pledged to only use mines that remained active for a limited period of time – so, “non-persistent”.

This means they become inert after a pre-set period of time – anywhere from four hours to two weeks.

They are electrically fused and require battery power to detonate. Once the battery runs out, they will not detonate.

As we reported earlier, the US embassy in Kyiv is temporarily closed over a potential threat attack. This isn’t the first time that the embassy has shut its doors following warnings of potential air attacks.

There were similar warnings at New Year and around Ukraine’s Independence Day.

The Russian military is accelerating its gains along the front line in Ukraine at a crucial time for the conflict.

Data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) shows that Russia has gained almost six times as much territory in 2024 as it did in 2023, and is advancing towards key Ukrainian logistical hubs in the eastern Donbas region.

Col Yevgeny Sasyko, a former head of strategic communications with Ukraine’s general staff, said Russia places “powerful jaws” around the flanks of a city that slowly “grind through” defences until they collapse.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region in August is faltering as Russian troops have pushed Kyiv’s offensive back.

The ISW data shows Moscow’s forces have seized around 2,700 sq km of Ukrainian territory so far this year, compared with just 465 sq km in the whole of 2023.

Despite its territorial gains, Russia’s advance has come at a huge cost. An analysis carried out by BBC Russian confirmed that at least 78,329 troops have been killed since February 2022.

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The US embassy in Kyiv has temporarily closed after receiving “specific information of a potential significant air attack on 20 November”.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the embassy will be closed, and embassy employees are being instructed to shelter in place,” it said in a statement., external

The embassy also recommended that US citizens should prepare to shelter in the event an air alert is announced.

Image source, Reuters

As we’ve reported, US President Joe Biden has agreed to give Ukraine anti-personnel land mines, a US defence official tells the BBC.

This is seen as the latest move by the outgoing US administration to bolster Ukraine’s war effort before Donald Trump returns to the White House on 20 January, and an attempt to slow Russian troops who have been steadily advancing in Ukraine’s east in recent months.

Ukraine was committed to not using such mines in densely-populated areas, the official said.

Russia has deployed landmines liberally since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 but international objections to the use of such weapons on the grounds that they pose a risk to civilians had prevented the Biden administration from signing off on them.

The US defence official confirmed to the BBC that Ukraine had pledged to use only mines that remained active for a limited period of time.

The US “non-persistent” mines differ from Russia’s as they become inert after a pre-set period of time – anywhere from four hours to two weeks.

Good morning and welcome to our coverage of the latest developments in Ukraine.

You join as a US defence official tells the BBC that President Joe Biden has agreed to give Ukraine anti-personnel land mines.

The official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, said such mines would be delivered soon and Washington expected that they would be used on Ukraine’s territory.

It follows Sunday’s news that Washington had agreed to allow Ukraine to fire US-supplied longer-range missiles at Russian territory.

Overnight, both Ukraine and Russia reported major drone attacks on their respective territories.

Separately, the US embassy in Kyiv said it would be temporarily closed after it “received specific information of a potential significant air attack on 20 November”.

Stay with us as we bring you the latest news and analysis.