Ukraine is preparing to launch production of millions of anti-personnel mines quickly – Kostenko
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The production of Ukrainian anti-personnel mines can begin almost immediately after the President signs the law on withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention. This was stated by the Secretary of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence Roman Kostenko, according to Ukrinform and UNIAN.

On Tuesday, July 15, the Verkhovna Rada supported Ukraine's withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines.

Kostenko noted that this is a "historic decision" that will give Ukraine "a tool to protect the state."

"As soon as the president signs the law, work will begin a minute after that – and we will start using our own anti-personnel mines, among other things."kostenko said during the briefing.

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According to him, the production of such ammunition is a technically simple task and can be established in a time of war.

"No matter what anyone says, anti-personnel mines are a simple weapon, but very effective. It is not difficult to set up production of millions of units. I think our designers already have the answers to these questions."the MP noted.

He emphasized that Russia has been using anti-personnel mines since 2014. Withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention will allow Ukraine "not to use the exit route prescribed in the convention for six months."

  • on March 18, 2025, the defense ministers of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland adopted joint recommendation their countries to denounce the 1997 Ottawa Convention.
  • on March 19, the Polish Ministry of Defense stated that Warsaw has plans place anti-personnel mines on the border with Russia and Belarus as part of the Eastern Shield program.
  • on June 19, the Finnish Parliament supported the exit countries from the Ottawa Convention.
  • june 27 Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia officially informed the UN withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention prohibiting the use of anti-personnel mines.