Warsaw and Baltic NATO states previously called for lifting a ban on the weapons, citing a perceived threat from Russia
Poland has announced plans to deploy anti-personnel landmines along its border with Russia and Belarus, citing concern about a potential Russian assault. Moscow has repeatedly denied having any intention of attacking the EU or NATO countries.
Earlier this week, NATO members Poland, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania called for exiting the Ottawa Treaty, which prohibits anti-personnel mines, pointing to what they call a growing military threat from Russia. Before that, Warsaw had also announced a $2.6 billion ‘Eastern Shield’ project to beef up its borders.
Speaking to local radio on Tuesday, Polish Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Bejda explained that Warsaw plans to place landmines along the country’s frontiers with Belarus and Russia as part of the ‘Eastern Shield’ initiative.
Poland shares a 144-mile border with Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave.
“We have no choice,” Bejda told RMF24, adding that it will allow the country’s defense industry to produce up to one million landmines.
The Polish government has also announced plans for additional fortifications along its borders, including anti-tank obstacles and reinforced defensive positions.
Beyond landmines, Poland has also considered other measures in response to the supposed Russian threat. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Donald Tusk suggested that Warsaw should acquire its own nuclear weapons.
Moscow has repeatedly ridiculed Western claims that it intends to attack NATO or EU states, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed such statements as “nonsense.” He has also suggested that the supposed threat of a Russian attack is being used by European politicians to scare their citizens in order to extract more resources from them and justify increased military spending.
Meanwhile, Russian officials have also blasted the EU’s increasing militarization as reckless and escalatory. Earlier this month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that the confrontational rhetoric and plans coming out of Brussels and European capitals could hamper the chances of finding a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict.
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