Land Mines Make a Controversial Comeback as Nations Fortify Against Russia

In a significant shift in policy driven by security concerns, five countries along the Russian border are moving to reinstate the use of antipersonnel mines, a weapon banned for over 25 years. This development, a direct fallout from Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, has ignited outrage among anti-mine advocates and campaigners who view this change as a dangerous rollback of humanitarian progress made since the end of the Cold War.

Recent reports from Warsaw highlight that Poland, the three Baltic States, and Finland, along with a pledge from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, are considering exiting the Mine Ban Treaty established in 1999. The treaty was a major victory for anti-mine advocacy, largely influenced by high-profile campaigns like that of Princess Diana, who drew global attention to the dangers posed by landmines. However, the ongoing war dynamics have prompted these countries to seek new defensive strategies against potential Russian aggression, marking a disturbing shift in the European security landscape.

Although the formal exit from the treaty is a process that will take six months, the mere contemplation of returning to land mine use has sparked a fierce backlash from organizations committed to banning such devices. Tamar Gabelnick, the director of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines—a group that played a crucial role in the Mine Ban Treaty—expressed deep frustration over the decisions made by these countries. The renewed interest in land mines threatens not only regional stability but also the legacy of international efforts to diminish civilian harm in conflict zones, placing millions of innocents at risk once again.