Finland plans to acquire one million land mines as it eyes the Russian threat
Finland is planning to acquire one million anti-personnel land mines as it strengthens its defences in the face of a possible Russian threat. The country is preparing to spend about 100 million euros, roughly 112 million dollars, on the munitions.
Finland recently withdrew, alongside regional peers, from the Ottawa Convention, the United Nations compact banning such munitions. The decision was taken with Russia's activity along its eastern border in mind.
Finland joined the Ottawa Convention in 2012 — the humanitarian treaty aimed at eliminating anti-personnel mines and destroying stockpiles. Under the treaty, the country destroyed more than a million mines.
Citing a worsening security climate, however, Finland announced its withdrawal in April 2025, and since January it is no longer bound by the treaty.
Alongside Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have also quit the agreement. The countries, among the staunchest allies of Ukraine, cited the potential threat from Moscow in taking the step.
Colonel Riku Mikkonen of the Army Command told Finland's national news agency STT that officials are now gathering information from suppliers regarding the deal, the AFP news agency reports.
Mikkonen said it would be useful in many ways if Finnish companies produced the anti-personnel mines in Finland. About half a dozen Finnish firms qualify, he told STT.
Under the plan, contracts would be signed by the end of 2027 and production up and running by 2028. However, buying the mines from abroad has not been totally ruled out at this stage, Mikkonen added.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has called Russia, which sits on Finland's eastern edge, a long-term threat. Finland shares a border of roughly 1,340 kilometres, about 830 miles, with Russia.
Finland has beefed up its defences since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and has reported that migrants have been pushed across from the east.
Meanwhile on Monday, Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen urged the European Union to stop issuing tourist visas to Russians until the war ends.
Valtonen said that as long as Russia continues its invasion, Russian citizens should not be issued tourist visas, adding that it is not right for Russians to enjoy Europe's freedoms while their country bombs the homes of Ukrainians.
She noted that Schengen countries granted nearly half a million tourist visas to Russians in 2025. Finland banned such visas in 2022, and she argued the rest of the bloc should follow suit.
