President Joe Biden’s decision to give Ukraine anti-personnel landmines has been met with fierce criticism from campaigners opposed to the use of the weapons.
In Geneva, Tamar Gabelnick, Director of The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) said that the organisation condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the reported decision by the Biden administration to transfer anti-personnel landmines to Ukraine.
She says “these horrific, indiscriminate weapons” were banned by the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty and that there are no circumstances under which Ukraine may “acquire, stockpile, or use them”.She has strongly urged the US to reverse its decision, adding that as the “the world’s largest donor to mine clearance” it is “inconceivable that the US would simultaneously facilitate the laying of new mines”.
Meanwhile in Ukraine, the warnings of a “potentially significant attack” and some embassy closures have been shared widely on Ukrainian social media and private chats.
The US embassy has issued warnings at least twice this year, including over the New Year holiday and Ukraine’s Independence Day in August.
There were big attacks within daysboth times. However, there was a massive Russian missile attack on Ukraine just three days ago, which targeted energy infrastructure and brought the return of power cuts.
It was one of many missile attacks this year, including one in July which destroyed part of a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
Russian drone attacks are a daily reality in Kyiv and other cities. The buzz of drones and booms of air defences disrupt the nights for millions of Ukrainians.
People are routinely killed in these attacks on their homes, even when they’re far away from the frontlines.Ukrainian officials said today that Russia is conducting a “psychological warfare operation” and urged people to take shelter during air raid alerts – just like on any other day of Russia’s full-scale war.
One way or another, the warnings have worked.
As sirens rang out in the capital this afternoon, a shelter in an international hotel was busier than usual.