Poland gives itself free hand to use mines on border with Russia and Belarus

"These mines are one of the most important elements of the defense structure we are constructing on the eastern flank of NATO, in Poland, on the border with Russia in the north and with Belarus in the east," Zalewski said.

According to him, Poland needs to defend itself against Russia, which "has very aggressive intentions vis-à-vis its neighbors." He recalled that Russia has never joined the convention banning anti-personnel mines.

The Polish deputy defense minister added that his country will begin producing both anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, emphasizing that the government will cooperate with Polish manufacturers.

He clarified that Poland plans to prepare mine stockpiles as part of the so-called East Shield project — a system of reinforced fortifications that the country has been building on its borders with Belarus and Russia since 2024.

The official also noted that Poland will begin mining its eastern border "when there is a realistic threat of Russian aggression."

"We very much respect our territory and we don’t want to exclude it from day to day use for the Polish citizens," Zalewski assured.

Ottawa Convention

Under the Ottawa Treaty (the 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines), signatory countries are prohibited from stockpiling and using anti-personnel mines.

This restriction is due to the ability of such munitions to remain in the ground for years, posing a long-term danger to civilians.

The devastating consequences of using these weapons have already been recorded in former conflict zones, including in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Angola, and Cambodia.

Notably, it became known in the summer of 2025 that Ukraine had decided to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines.