Kremlin says US 'doing everything' to prolong war in Ukraine

Russia on Wednesday accused the US of prolonging the war in Ukraine by stepping up weapons deliveries to Kyiv ahead of Donald Trump entering the White House.

The US will soon provide Ukraine with antipersonnel land mines to shore up its defenses against Russian forces, a US official said late Tuesday, the latest step-up in military supplies announced by the administration of US President Joe Biden following Trump's election victory.

The mines are known as being "non-persistent" because they go inert after a set period of time, when their battery power runs out.

Biden's last stand

Washington has sought commitments from Ukraine to use the mines on its own territory and only in areas that are not populated in order to decrease the risk they pose to civilians.

"If you look at the trends of the outgoing US administration, they are fully committed to continuing the war in Ukraine and are doing everything they can to do so," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov looks on prior to a meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, 24 October 2024. Reuters

On the campaign trial Trump, who will be inaugurated on 20 January, repeatedly criticized US support for Ukraine and claimed he could secure a ceasefire within hours.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky told Fox News late on Tuesday that Ukraine will lose if Washington pulls funding.

Biden has also authorized Ukraine to use US-supplied long-range ATACMS missiles for strikes on Russian territory.

Kremlin rubbishes sea-cable allegations

The Kremlin on Wednesday also rejected as "absurd" and "laughable" suggestions it was involved in the cutting of telecommunications cables running under the Baltic Sea.

Two telecommunications cables cut in the Baltic Sea in 48 hours prompted European officials to say Tuesday that they suspect "sabotage" and "hybrid warfare" linked to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"It's quite absurd to keep blaming Russia for everything without any grounds. It is laughable in the context of the lack of any reaction to Ukraine's sabotage activities in the Baltic Sea," Peskov said.

Mines transfer condemned

A global anti-landmine group on Wednesday slammed a "terrible" decision by the United States to provide Ukraine with antipersonnel landmines to shore up its defenses against Russian forces.

The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) "condemns this terrible decision by the US", it said in a statement to AFP.

"The US Campaign to Ban Landmines and all the ICBL will be working to get the US to reverse it."

Ukraine "must clearly state they cannot and will not accept these weapons," it said.