Finland buying a million landmines

The move follows Finland's withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines.Pictured here: A soldier adjusts a mine during a field exercise. File photo. Image: Marcus Lillkvist / YleSTTYle News19.10. 14:04The Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) want to buy one million anti-personnel mines from domestic manufacturers. The goal is to have domestic production up and running by 2028.Around 100 million euros is earmarked for the acquisitions.Preparations for the purchase began after Finland's withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention took effect in January, Colonel Riku Mikkonen of the Army Command told Finnish news agency STT. He said there are around half a dozen companies in the country able to make mines.Finland reintroduced landmines due to the worsening security environment. Ahead of the decision, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo called Russia a long-term threat to Finnish and European security.The story was first reported in Finland by the Defence Forces' magazine, Ruotuväki.