//The Wire//2300Z November 20, 2024//

//ROUTINE//

//BLUF: USA EMBASSY IN KIEV CLOSES DUE TO IMMINENT AIR ATTACK. USA DECIDES TO BEGIN USE OF ANTI-PERSONNEL LANDMINES IN UKRAINE.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

-International Events-

Europe: This morning, the U.S. Embassy in Kiev reported that they will be closed for the day as employees shelter in place due to “a potential significant air attack”. AC: No further information was given on the Embassy’s website, however in the context of recent developing events, retaliatory strikes by Russia are to be expected at this time, probably to include strikes in Kiev.

This morning Ukraine reportedly used British Storm Shadow missiles to strike targets in Russia for the first time, drawing the United Kingdom into the recent escalation of tensions along with the United States. No statement has been released by the British MoD confirming or denying such targeting efforts.

-HomeFront-

Washington D.C. - Yesterday afternoon the Biden regime announced a change in the military doctrine regarding the use of Anti-Personnel Landmines (APLs). In a shift of long-standing policy, APLs will now be authorized for use outside of the Korean Peninsula, specifically in Ukraine. This comes as initial reporting indicates the White House is preparing another $275 million aid package for Ukraine.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: The history of the use of Anti-Personnel landmines by the United States is long and tenuous. Quite literally, the study of the history of terrain denial tools (such as landmines) spans many centuries and involves everyone from Julius Caesar to Princess Diana. Up until Donald Trump’s first term, the United States had forbade the use of APLs outside of the Korean Peninsula (where they obviously form a major component of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)). Trump rescinded this policy, and allowed for more free use of APLs around the world. For the most part, this policy wasn’t actually used in practice as there was no conflict during Trump’s term that would have benefited from the use of landmines on the battlefield. Biden, upon arriving in office, reverted back to the previous doctrine restricting their use to only Korea. Now, Biden has rescinded his own policy, and directly begun supplying Ukraine with APLs in addition to the tens of thousands of Anti-Tank (AT) landmines already in extremely widespread use on all sides.

In terms of what escalation this development will cause, the truth is that this move probably won’t escalate much in terms of effects on the battlefield (but probably will escalate the diplomatic situation to some degree). Russian doctrine on landmines has traditionally been nowhere near as stringent as the United States…the Russians have planted landmines like potatoes in virtually every conflict they have ever been in. Russia has likely sewn hundreds of thousands of landmines throughout the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine, to include all kinds of strange and horrific forms of Anti-Personnel landmine. Ukraine has done so as well, largely taking from the stockpiles of domestic Soviet-era munitions they had before the war. Make no mistake, Russia has regularly used munitions that the United States has banned herself, so militarily Russia has indeed used “worse” weapons throughout this conflict. As has Ukraine, when her pre-war weapons stockpiles have allowed. The distinction being Russia has not claimed to abide by various domestic policies (and some international weapons agreements/arms-limitation/non-proliferation treaties) that restrict their use of landmines. Both sides fighting as dirty as possible is to be expected in this war, but the United States pretending to be squeaky-clean in this conflict is a sentiment that should be duly noted by taxpayers.

This decision to allow the use of American APLs in Ukraine is not important due to the military advantage it offers…but rather the exact op