Finland to rebuild one million anti-personnel mines and boost border defences
Officials plan to spend about €100 million to secure the 1,300 km frontier; serial production aimed for 2028.
Finland is preparing to rebuild a former stockpile of one million anti-personnel mines after completing its withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention at the start of the year, citing the Russian threat.
Officials plan to spend about 100 million euros to strengthen and secure the border with Russia, which stretches for 1,300 kilometres.
Deliveries are expected to take place over several years and to continue into the 2030s. A central objective of the plan is to source the mines from a domestic manufacturer, and contacts have already been made with Finnish companies that say they have suitable capacities and interest.
Domestic production and timetable
While some Finnish firms reportedly possess ready designs, raw materials and production lines, serial production is targeted to begin in 2028. Authorities say that timeline reflects the need to complete inspections and procurement procedures and to finalise technical specifications for the products.
The procurement will, according to the announced plan, be staged over multiple years so that deliveries extend through the 2030s. Officials argue the measures respond to changing security assessments along the 1,300 km frontier with Russia.
Photo: press material from the event
