Due to threats from Russia, Russia’s five neighbours are strengthening their defences, using means that the world has tried to ban forever. This is reported by the British newspaper The Telegraph.
In particular, the Lithuanian government intends to start producing mines 22 years after the signing of the Ottawa Convention, which was once supported by all EU countries.
Defence Minister Davile Šakalene said in a commentary for The Telegraph that “Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine, its systematic violations of international law and military provocations on the borders of Russia and Belarus pose an existential threat.” It emphasised that Russia has never bound itself to the Ottawa Convention. While European countries were destroying their stockpiles of mines, Russia was producing more mines than anyone else in the world.
“Russia is not a party to the Convention and continues to aggressively use and stockpile anti-personnel mines, which puts us at a strategic disadvantage,” the minister said. – In these circumstances, our Armed Forces need the flexibility and freedom to use all available means to defend our population and NATO’s eastern flank.”
Jackalene believes Putin could attack alliance countries in as little as two or three years.
“Both NATO and our military intelligence have repeatedly warned since last year that Russia could be ready to invade NATO territory within three to five years, around 2028 to 2030. And that period could be shortened. If the negotiations on Ukraine end badly and Russia uses the ceasefire to rebuild its forces and strengthen its military-industrial potential, possibly by lifting sanctions, this threat could appear in two or three years,” the Lithuanian military chief said.
Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have announced their intention to withdraw from the 1997 Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines. All five states are expected to formally notify the UN of their withdrawal from the Convention at the end of June, allowing them to produce, stockpile and use such munitions from the end of the year. Their borders with Belarus and Russia total 3,460 kilometres.
The military is already drawing up plans as to which areas of forests and lakes will be mined if Russian President Vladimir Putin concentrates his troops against the alliance.