Of the seven European countries bordering Russia and Belarus, six have already announced their withdrawal from the international convention banning landmines to deploy mines along the border to prevent Russian attacks on NATO's eastern flank. The plan has sparked significant controversy.
Following the Baltic states, Ukraine will also withdraw from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy signed the relevant executive order on Sunday (June 29).
Kostenko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament's defense committee, said this move was a response to Russia's extensive use of anti-personnel landmines in the war. "When the enemy has no limits, we cannot tie our hands," he emphasized, stating that Russia had never signed the Ottawa Convention and "used landmines extensively against both military and civilian populations."
Previously, the three Baltic coastal countries of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia submitted documents to the United Nations on the 27th of this month to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention. According to the convention's regulations, the three countries will officially withdraw after six months. Additionally, Finland and Poland have already initiated the process of withdrawing from the convention.
So far, six out of the seven European countries bordering Russia and Belarus have decided to withdraw from the mine ban convention, planning to deploy mines along the border to protect NATO's eastern flank from potential attacks. Only Norway, which shares nearly 200 kilometers of border with Russia, hopes to continue abiding by the treaty.
European Countries Reintroduce Landmines
The Ottawa Convention, signed in 1997 and effective in 1999, aims to prohibit the use, production, and transfer of anti-personnel landmines worldwide.
Such landmines are highly controversial because they pose a danger to both soldiers and civilians. Uncleared landmines remain a long-term threat even after conflicts end: in 2023, nearly 6,000 people were injured or killed by landmines globally. About 80% of the victims are civilians, including many children.
Clearing landmines is expensive and extremely time-consuming. According to the non-governmental organization "Handicap International," even though some potential conflicts ended decades ago, there are still 58 countries and regions around the world where landmines have not been cleared.
164 countries have signed the Ottawa Convention, but 33 countries have not yet signed it. In addition to the two major powers, the United States and China, Russia is also among them. Russia has the largest stockpile of anti-personnel landmines in the world, estimated at 26 million. Many of these have already been used in Ukraine.
A New "Iron Curtain"
From the northern end of Finland's Lapland to the southern part of Poland's Lublin province, the border between five NATO countries and Russia and Belarus is about 3,500 kilometers long. These areas are mostly sparsely populated and heavily forested, making them difficult to monitor.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, there is still great concern about a possible Russian attack on NATO territory. According to The Daily Telegraph, NATO experts have already analyzed which areas could be targets. NATO countries aim to maximize deterrence: mines will be combined with other border security measures to cause significant losses to advancing enemies in the shortest time possible, thus preventing Moscow from starting a long war.
To effectively protect the long border, millions of mines and other hidden explosives may be needed. Large areas will remain uninhabitable for decades, and the potential damage to people and the environment is almost unpredictable.
The Daily Telegraph journalist David Blair described the plan as a new, explosive "iron curtain," referring to the heavily guarded borders between NATO and Warsaw Pact countries during the Cold War. In addition to laying mines, NATO Eastern countries have already taken many other measures, including building or reinforcing border fences and walls, installing modern surveillance and early warning systems, and increasing troop strength.
Fischer of the German branch of "Handicap International" considers the mine plan a dangerous and worrying development. "Of course, the security concerns of Eastern European countries may be justified in the current unstable international situation," Fischer said in March when Poland and the Baltic states first announced their plans to withdraw from the treaty.
"However, lasting security cannot be built on weapons that indiscriminately kill innocent people, remain buried underground after conflicts end, continue to maim civilians, and destroy their means of survival," she added. "There are other ways to defend the country. These alternatives may seem more expensive, but considering the huge subsequent costs of using anti-personnel mines, they are not so."
Sources: DW
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7521759804843655726/
Statement: This article represents the views of its author. Please express your opinion below with the [Up/Down] buttons.