Poland Revives Mines to Counter Russia Threat

Poland will begin producing anti-personnel mines for the first time since the Cold War, with plans to deploy them along its eastern border with Belarus and Russia, and potentially supply them to Ukraine.

Bolstering Eastern Defenses

Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski stated Poland is “interested in large quantities as soon as possible,” according to an interview with Reuters on December 17. The mines will be a key component of the “East Shield” program, designed to strengthen defenses against potential threats from Belarus and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.

Poland initiated the process of leaving the Ottawa Convention in August and had previously indicated it might resume mine production if necessary. Zalewski’s comments represent the first official confirmation of this plan.

State-owned company Belma, which currently supplies mines to the Polish military, plans to provide millions of mines as part of the East Shield program to secure Poland’s 800-kilometer eastern border. Belma CEO Jaroslaw Zakrzewski said Poland may require between 5 to 6 million mines, with a production capacity of up to 1.2 million next year. The company currently produces around 100,000 mines annually.

While prioritizing its own needs, Poland is also considering supplying excess production to allies, particularly Ukraine. “Our starting point is our own needs. But for us, Ukraine is absolutely a priority because the European and Polish security line is on the Russia-Ukraine front,” Zalewski noted.

Zakrzewski confirmed the possibility of exporting mines to Ukraine and stated that other NATO countries bordering Russia, including the Baltic states, have expressed interest in purchasing anti-personnel mines.

Polish border guards recently uncovered a smuggling tunnel spanning several dozen meters, used for the illegal entry of over 180 migrants from Belarus into Poland. The tunnel was discovered on December 11 near Narewka in the Podlaskie Voivodeship, according to the Polish Border Guard.