Poland considers the installation of one million landmines along the borders with Belarus and Russia
WARSAW, Poland - The Polish government has announced plans to increase domestic landmine production following the announcement that the country, along with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, will withdraw from the Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines, also known as the Ottawa Treaty.
The Polish Deputy Defence Minister, Paweł Bejda, stated that the country would start production of these weapons to protect the nation's eastern borders with Russia and Belarus.
"We want these mines to be produced in Poland, we have such capabilities. The question is to increase those capabilities... and we treat the private and state defence industry equally," Bejda said in an interview with local radio station RMF FM.
The Polish armed forces need landmines 'in the order of several hundred thousand, up to 1 million', he added.
Polish Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said that the process of withdrawal from the convention would involve the country's cabinet, parliament and president, and would end with a notification to the UN. Following the notification, the withdrawal process could take around six months, he said.
When asked about the details of the companies that might produce the mines, the deputy defence minister indicated that the Polish state defence group PGZ would be involved in production.
Meanwhile, Latvia is 'examining all possible options with regard to strengthening Latvia's deterrence and defence capabilities,' said Latvian Defence Minister Andris Sprūds.
The Baltic nation 'must prepare itself as Russia continues to pose a serious threat to the region, regardless of the evolution of hostilities in Ukraine. Withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention has the potential to ensure the production of anti-personnel mines,' Sprūds said.
Published by Condoralex
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