STORY: Lithuania and Finland appeared set to start domestic production of anti-personnel landmines next year to supply themselves and Ukraine for what they see as a military threat from Russia.
That’s according to officials from both countries, which border Russia.
It comes after the two NATO members announced their plan to pull out of the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use of such mines.
Ukraine began the process to withdraw from the treaty on June 29th.
“We are planning to acquire different sorts, different types of mines.”
Lithuanian Deputy Defense Minister Karolis Aleksa recently spoke to Reuters about his country’s plans to start producing anti-personnel mines.
“Anti-tanks are especially important. Looking at the Russian tactics, how we’re using, but also anti-personnel mines, because Russian tactics means that we use life force in a very, so to say, forceful and quite efficient manner. // “So it’s still in the process of really evaluating and deciding. So it will be a significant amount.”
The decisions by Finland and Lithuania underline the mounting concern in Europe that Russia’s military ambitions may go beyond Ukraine.
Three other NATO and European Union states – Poland, Latvia and Estonia – are also quitting the Ottawa Convention, citing rising security concerns about Russia as it presses on with its war in Ukraine.
ALEKSA: “…what is more important, it is, you know, your nation’s security, or let’s say opening the gates to the enemy? So I think our choice is very clear. We should defend ourselves.”
Both Ukraine and Russia have accused the other of using anti-personnel mines during the war.
Anti-mine campaigners have criticised the countries that are leaving the Ottawa Convention and have said that reintroducing anti-personnel mine production could be expensive and take a long time to be fully operational.