Finland buying a million landmines
yle.fi
The move follows Finland's withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines.

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Around 100 million euros is earmarked for the acquisitions.

Preparations for the purchase began after Finland’s withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention took effect in January, Colonel Riku Mikkonen of the Army Command told Finnish news agency STT. He said there are around half a dozen companies in the country able to make mines.

Finland reintroduced landmines due to the worsening security environment. Ahead of the decision, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo called Russia a long-term threat to Finnish and European security.

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  • kossa@feddit.orgEnglish
    1·
    4 days ago

    Pray tell, why did Finland ratify the treaty initially, if it is just impossible to defend without landmines?

    • ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.netEnglish
      2·
      4 days ago

      Really? It’s so difficult? Countries proposed this hoping that everyone will sign up and landmines will no longer be used. It was a show of good will, basically telling other countries that “we will not use them if you won’t”. Now there’s war going on and it’s clear the other side is still using them so the countries that are threatened directly by enemies using landmines are saying “Ok, we tried but we will not give advantage to our enemies for the sake of moral purity. Not being raped is more important to us”. And I agree.