Finland Makes Big Move on Land Mines

Finland is formally stepping back into the landmine business. The country's military said Wednesday it will begin buying anti-personnel mines and training professional soldiers, conscripts, and reservists to use them, following Helsinki's exit from the international treaty that bans such weapons. Finland's withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention took effect Jan. 10, placing it alongside fellow EU and NATO members Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland, which have also opted out; all cited concerns over the threat from Russia, reports Reuters. The five countries border Russia, with Poland and Lithuania bordering the Kaliningrad exclave. Finland's border with Russia stretches 830 miles.

Finnish lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in favor of exiting the treaty last year. The rollout of mine-training programs will begin this year, according to Finland's Defence Forces. Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said talks with Finnish companies on producing technologically advanced mines will begin "shortly," Bloomberg reports. The aim is to have the first new mines and related training gear in place sometime in 2027.

Officials stressed the mines are intended for wartime only. "We will use mines only in emergency conditions," said Colonel Riku Mikkonen, Inspector of Engineers for the Army Command. The shift comes as landmine use has drawn renewed scrutiny in Europe: Russia has deployed them extensively in its invasion of Ukraine, and Moscow has accused Kyiv of using them as well after Ukraine announced its own withdrawal from the treaty.