Poland Is Actively Preparing For Defense In The Eastern Direction
- 19.12.2025, 9:35
We are talking about large-scale measures.
Poland is reconsidering approaches to the defense of the eastern direction. Solutions that were recently considered impossible are now becoming part of a long-term security strategy against the backdrop of regional threats.
This is reported by inpoland.
Poland plans to resume production of anti-personnel mines and use them to reinforce its eastern border for the first time since the Cold War.
It is a large-scale defense measure being implemented after the country's withdrawal from international restrictions and as part of a new military doctrine.
Poland has officially withdrawn from the Ottawa Convention
Poland has officially withdrawn from the Ottawa Treaty banning the use and production of anti-personnel mines, following the example of the Baltic states.
This decision allows Warsaw to use such means to defend the border with Belarus and Russia's Kaliningrad region, which are seen as potentially vulnerable areas.
Production and Scale
The Defense Ministry stresses that the country is interested in maximizing the stockpile of anti-personnel mines.
The production is planned to be included in the Eastern Shield (Tarcza Wschód) program, which runs from 2024-2028 and is aimed at countering military and hybrid threats from Russia and Belarus.
It is expected that production could start as soon as the Ottawa Convention withdrawal procedure is officially completed - after February 20, 2026.
Possible assistance to Ukraine
The Polish defense company Belma, which already supplies the army with other types of mines, said it is ready to produce up to 1.2 million anti-personnel mines a year. The total stockpile, according to estimates, could run into millions of units.
At the same time, the transfer of part of the produced surplus to the Ukrainian Armed Forces is not ruled out.
"We focus on our own needs, but Ukraine is an absolute priority because the Ukrainian-Russian front is the Polish and European security front," a Defense Ministry spokesman explained.