Poland has announced its intention to utilise both antipersonnel and anti-tank land mines to bolster the defence of its eastern border amid escalating concerns regarding Russian aggression. This announcement comes as a significant development following Poland’s formal withdrawal from the international treaty that prohibits the use of such weapons.
The 1997 Antipersonnel Mine Ban Treaty, commonly referred to as the Ottawa Convention, forbids member states from possessing or deploying antipersonnel mines, which have a longstanding record of inflicting harm on civilian populations in various post-conflict regions, including Cambodia, Angola, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Poland, having ratified the treaty in 2012 and completed the destruction of its domestic stockpile of antipersonnel mines by 2016, will now move forward with plans to resume the manufacturing of these weapons following its withdrawal from the treaty.
“These mines are one of the most important elements of the defence structure we are constructing on the eastern flank of NATO, in Poland, on the border with Russia in the north and with Belarus in the east,” PaweÅ‚ Zalewski, Poland’s deputy defence minister, said.
Poland recognises the necessity of defending itself against Russia, a nation that has demonstrated aggressive intentions toward its neighbours and has not ratified the international land mine ban treaty. In light of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, several neighbouring countries have begun to reassess their commitments to this treaty. Last year, Warsaw, alongside Finland, the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and Ukraine, announced its intention to withdraw from the treaty. It is important to note that Russia is one of nearly three dozen countries that have never signed the Ottawa Treaty, a list that also includes the United States.
Poland vows to make its own mines
Poland will initiate domestic production of both antipersonnel and anti-tank land mines, as announced by Zalewski. The government intends to collaborate with Polish manufacturers to achieve self-sufficiency in this area. Land mines are defined as explosive devices that are placed on or just below the surface and detonate when a person or vehicle traverses them. While antipersonnel mines are prohibited under the Ottawa Convention, anti-tank mines—engineered to remain inactive under a person’s weight—are permitted.
During a recent demonstration of the Bluszcz unmanned vehicle, which is designed to deploy anti-tank mines developed by Polish company Belma S.A. in conjunction with a military research institute, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk indicated that Poland would soon possess the capability to establish minefields along its eastern borders within a 48-hour timeframe in response to potential threats. Given the length of Poland’s eastern border, he noted that a significant number of land mines would be required.
Poland has asserted that the use of these mines will be contingent upon a “realistic threat of Russian aggression.” Additionally, the country plans to maintain mine stockpiles as part of the Eastern Shield initiative, which aims to enhance fortifications along its borders with Belarus and Russia. This project has been in progress since 2024. Zalewski emphasised that mines would be deployed only in the event of a credible threat from Russia.
“We very much respect our territory and we don’t want to exclude it from day to day use for the Polish citizens,” Zalewski said.
Human rights organisations have expressed strong opposition to the decision to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, emphasising that antipersonnel mines represent a significant threat to civilian safety. In response, Zalewski explained that the country aims to strike a careful balance by maintaining these mines in reserve and deploying them only in the event of an attack.
“We are not an aggressive country,” he said, “but we have to use all means to deter Russia.”
