Poland has confirmed it will start production of anti-personnel mines for the first time since the Cold War, planning deployment along its eastern border and potential exports to Ukraine.
Deputy Defence Minister Paweł Zalewski told Reuters that the mines will form part of the “East Shield” programme, aimed at strengthening borders with Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
Production could begin after Poland completes its withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention on February 20th, 2026. Belma, the state-owned defence company, said it could produce up to 1.2 million mines next year, prioritising Poland’s own needs but allowing for supply to allies.
The East Shield programme aims to secure Poland’s approximately 800km (500-mile) eastern border amid ongoing regional security concerns. Nearly all European countries bordering Russia, except Norway, have announced plans to leave the treaty banning anti-personnel mines. Lithuania and Finland expect to start production next year, while Latvia and Estonia may follow if needed.
Poland’s move marks the first confirmed step to restart mine production since the 1980s, when the country ceased both manufacturing and exporting anti-personnel mines. Belma currently produces around 100,000 other types of mines per year and expects to scale up rapidly under the East Shield programme.
