Biden greenlights anti-personnel mines for Ukraine as Russia gains ground

Nov 20

Listen

Ryan Robertson Anchor

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

President Joe Biden has approved the use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles on Russian territory and authorized the distribution of anti-personnel mines to Ukraine. According to U.S. officials, the mines are designed to deactivate after a set period and will only be deployed within Ukrainian territory.

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

Russia has made significant battlefield gains this year, seizing nearly six times more territory in 2024 than in 2023. Key areas like Kupiansk and Kurakhove in eastern Ukraine remain under heavy assault. Reports show Russian forces are also closing in on critical logistical hubs.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

Analysts warn Ukraine’s defenses are increasingly stretched thin. They’re concerned this will impact Ukraine’s ability to maintain control along the front lines.

Ukraine’s recent incursion into Russia’s Kursk region has also faced challenges.

Experts initially viewed the incursion as a bold strategic move. However, the operation has tied down experienced Ukrainian units, allowing Russian forces to reclaim approximately 230 square miles of territory since October.

Despite advances, Russia’s strategy has come at a high cost. Independent reports estimate that over 200,000 Russian troops have been killed since the invasion began. Troops near Kursk have faced significant losses.

This week, Ukraine used U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to target Russian positions for the first time. Officials hope the strikes and the newly approved landmines, will slow Russian advances and bolster Ukraine’s position in potential peace negotiations.

Ukraine’s use of the ATACMS system has so far been limited to regions near Kursk.

Amid these developments, the Kremlin has updated its nuclear doctrine.

Russia now warns that any conventional attack by a non-nuclear-armed nation allied with a nuclear power could justify a nuclear response. While the policy was announced in September, it took effect following Biden’s approval of these new measures.

Tags: Crimea, Donetsk, Long-range missiles, Russia, Russia-Ukraine War, Russian Defense Ministry, Ukraine, Ukraine aid, Ukraine Defense Ministry

[ryan robertson]

AFTER PUTTING THE DECISION OFF FOR MORE THAN HALF HIS TIME IN OFFICE, , PRESIDENT BIDEN FINALLY SAID UKRAINE CAN USE LONG-RANGE U-S WEAPONS TO HIT TARGETS IN RUSSIA.AND NOW…THE PRESIDENT IS APPROVING MORE MEASURES AIMED AT BOLSTERING UKRAINE’S DEFENSE AGAINST RUSSIA’…BY APPROVING THE DISTRIBUTION OF ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES TO UKRAINEACCORDING TO U.S. OFFICIALS, THE MINES ARE DESIGNED TO DEACTIVATE AFTER A SET PERIOD AND WILL BE USED EXCLUSIVELY WITHIN UKRAINIAN TERRITORY.

RUSSIAN FORCES GAINED SIGNIFICANT GROUND THIS YEAR, WITH ANALYSTS REPORTING NEARLY SIX TIMES MORE TERRITORY SEIZED IN 2024 COMPARED TO 2023.

KEY AREAS LIKE KUPIANSK AND KURAKHOVE IN EASTERN UKRAINE REMAIN UNDER HEAVY ASSAULT, WITH RUSSIAN FORCES CLOSING IN ON CRITICAL LOGISTICAL HUBS. ANALYSTS WARN UKRAINE’S DEFENSES ARE INCREASINGLY STRETCHED, RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT ITS ABILITY TO MAINTAIN ITS HOLD ALONG THE FRONTLINES. .

UKRAINE’S RECENT INCURSION INTO RUSSIA’S KURSK REGION IS ALSO ENCOUNTERING SETBACKS. INITIALLY SEEN AS A BOLD STRATEGIC MOVE, THE OPERATION TIED DOWN EXPERIENCED UKRAINIAN UNITS — RUSSIAN FORCES RECLAIMED ROUGHLY 230 SQUARE MILES OF TERRITORY IN THE REGION SINCE OCTOBER

DESPITE ITS ADVANCES, RUSSIA’S STRATEGY COMES AT A HIGH COST. INDEPENDENT REPORTS ESTIMATE OVER 200-thousand RUSSIAN TROOPS WERE KILLED TRYING TO RETAKE TERRITORY NEAR KURSK.

ALSO THIS WEEK, FOR THE FIRST TIME UKRAINE USED U.S.-SUPPLIED LONG-RANGE MISSILES TO STRIKE RUSSIAN POSITIONS. OFFICIALS HOPE THESE ATTACKS, COMBINED WITH THE NEWLY APPROVED LANDMINES, WILL SLOW RUSSIAN ADVANCES AND STRENGTHEN UKRAINE’S POSITION IN POTENTIAL PEACE TALKS. UKRAINE’S USE OF ATACMS IS STILL LIMITED TO REGIONS AROUND KURSK, THOUGH.

AMID THESE DEVELOPMENTS, THE KREMLIN ANNOUNCED AN UPDATE TO ITS NUCLEAR DOCTRINE, WARNING ANY CONVENTIONAL ATTACK BY A NON-NUCLEAR ARMED NATION THAT IS ALLIED WITH A NUCLEAR-ARMED NATION COULD JUSTIFY A NUCLEAR RESPONSE FROM RUSSIA. THE POLICY CHANGE WAS ACTUALLY ANNOUNCED BACK IN SEPTEMBER, BUT DIDN’T GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL PRESIDENT BIDEN APPROVED HIS NEW MEASURES.

YOU CAN FIND OUT MUCH MORE ABOUT THESE DEVELOPMENTS–AND HEAR FROM A FORMER US INTELLIGENCE OFFICER ABOUT PUTIN’S NUCLEAR SABER RATTLING…
BY DOWNLOADING THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY–OR LOGGING ON TO SAN.COM