Main points
- The Baltic states and Ukraine have withdrawn from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines due to the threat from Russia.
- The Baltic countries, despite their membership in NATO, have decided to mine their borders to protect themselves from possible Russian attacks.
The Baltic states, bordering Russia, were the first to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines. They decided to mine their borders after realizing the real threat from Russia.
Ukraine made a similar decision later, on June 29, guided by the logic of war and the need for effective defense. Political scientist Vladimir Fesenko told Channel 24 about this.
Why Russia's Neighbors Withdrew from the Ottawa Convention
At one time, Ukraine, like most democratic countries, supported the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines. This was seen as a humanitarian step. It was believed that such mines pose a threat not only to the military, but primarily to the civilian population.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine explained why our country decided to withdraw from this convention. The main reason is that Russia has never supported it. In peacetime, it was the business of the Russians, and Ukraine remained part of the civilized world, observing the ban. However, with the outbreak of war – first hybrid, and then full-scale – it became obvious that Russia had an advantage, in particular due to the possibility of using anti-personnel mines, while Ukraine voluntarily limited itself.
We limited ourselves, and in war you shouldn’t give an advantage to the enemy, emphasized Vladimir Fesenko.
The first to abandon the convention were the Baltic states, which border Russia and are under constant threat. Despite being NATO members, they decided to mine their borders to reduce the risk of Russian attacks. Given their smaller populations and limited resources, this was a necessary step.
Ukraine took a similar step a little later – perhaps for tactical reasons, so as not to be the first. But the logic of the war pushed for this decision. Ukraine must defend itself against a cunning enemy that is significantly superior in many aspects – in the number of troops, equipment, resources. Therefore, we cannot afford to limit ourselves in the use of certain types of weapons.
