The Baltic states are getting more than a little concerned about Russian aggression, now Lithuania has notified the United Nations that the country will withdraw from the treaty banning the use of anti-personnel landmines. This means that after a period of six months, Lithuania will no longer be bound by the treaty.

Now Lithuania falls into line with Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Poland banning the use of anti-personnel landmines. Citing the Russian threat, the Parliament of Lithuania has agreed on the action. The Ottawa Convention that was adopted in 1997 prohibited the use, production and stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines.

When you view a world map identifying signatories, most of the western world has ratified the agreement. Most of Asia [excluding South East Asia and Oceania] is not a signatory, this includes Russia. Looking at the map of the Americas, most of South America and Central America have signed the convention, North America is split, yes Canada is a signatory but the United States is the gaping hole in the map.

Previously more than fifty countries produced land mines, the Ottawa Convention has officially reduced landmine production to India, Myanmar, South Korea and Pakistan. More likely, China, Iran, Cuba, North Korea, and Russia produce landmines. As the United States is not a signatory, I was interested to learn if they still produced anti-personnel landmines or they have just stockpiled large quantities of anti-personnel landmines and found they only stopped production in 1997. Sadly, Ukraine is the country with the most landmines, long after the Russian invasion, the people of Ukraine will still be at risk of mines.