Protection without restrictions. How useful for Ukraine its exits from international “armed” treaties

Following the exit from the Ottawa Convention, which forbidden us to use anti -personnel mines, Ukraine intends to terminate the contract on ordinary armed forces in Europe. In simple words, we continue to remove legal restrictions on the country’s armed protection. And this is a late but very correct step.

What is the price of delay with similar diplomatic decisions I saw recently in Irpen near Kiev, where I attended veterans. Soldiers who survived serious injuries and equally severe rehabilitation competed in adaptive sports.

I was fascinated as athletes without feet – on prostheses or wheel chairs – went to their sports records. At the same time, I did not give me the idea that many participants could perform in the same competitions in the “military” category – for athletes without severe injuries.

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Could – if it were not for the decision made by the Ukrainian authorities in 2005. It is about the accession of Ukraine to the already mentioned Ottawa Convention.

At that time, the authorities could be understood. Only the Orange Revolution was swollen, Ukraine returns to Europe, after the harsh 90s, economic growth begins-no one thinks about the war!

Well, now the Russians, who have not signed the Ottawa Convention, put deadly boxes in our territory in large quantities with the inscription “to the enemy” and other types of anti -personnel mines.

The Ukrainians fought with partially tied hands. Why partly? I do not think that I will open the secret: we still produced anti -personnel mines and used – as far as possible. They just did the different “Kulibins” in the garages, sorry, from the shit and the paloks to stop the enemy that came.

The Law No. 0329 adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on the suspension of the Ottawa Convention for Ukraine is bad only one – the date of adoption. If the document was not July 2025, and March 2022, the Ukrainian army would significantly reduce its own losses and vice versa, would significantly increase the loss of the enemy.

Why are anti -personnel mines that are important? Because the fields of cumulative mines used against vehicles have now lost their relevance. The enemy often uses the tactics of small infantry groups that bypass such explosive barriers – and go on. Only explosive fields consisting of anti -personnel mines can stop them. And they are effective against light vehicles.

Another nuance. Anti -personnel mines are more likely to be death, but to causing critical damage to the enemy. That is an additional economic and social load for the aggressor state.

Therefore, I am very glad that in the fourth year of a full -scale invasion, someone was able to reach and get out of international “armed” treaties. Which were suitable for peaceful times but are harmful during a full -scale war.

By the way, the United States was not signed by the Ottawa Convention – and this gives us the opportunity to involve American products in Ukraine. And develop your own production with the use of international technologies.

And finally, a very important advice. Even if you are a civilian person who lives in hundreds of kilometers from the fighting line, you must have at least basic information about explosive devices.

Ukraine is the most replaced country in the world, and this applies not only to the frontal territories. Multi safety trainings are now conducting many humanitarian organizations – visit one of them and be sure to send your children.

Dangerous findings will happen in our earth for decades – so take care of your own safety. And we will take care of the danger to the enemy – because now we have more opportunities for this.

Andriy Ivanov “Prosecutor”commander of a military unit in the 17th Army Corps

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