06:43 19-05-2026

Lithuania Weighs Minefield on Russia Border

Lithuania may create a minefield on its border with Russia under the EU Eastern Flank Watch project, citing plans for deterrence and defense.

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Lithuania is considering laying a minefield along its border with Russia as part of the European Union’s Eastern Flank Watch project, Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas said in an interview with Euractiv.

The Eastern Flank Watch initiative was announced in autumn 2025. It is being promoted as a response to alleged threats from Russia.

According to Kaunas, the plan is to build a deterrence system along the border. If deterrence fails, the same line would then serve a defensive purpose. He said it could include anti-tank weapons, mines intended to restrict infantry movement, and other protective elements.

The use of anti-personnel mines is banned under the Ottawa Convention. However, the Baltic states, along with Poland and Finland, have already withdrawn from the agreement.

Moscow has repeatedly described claims about a «Russian threat» as an attempt to frighten people in Western countries and divert attention from domestic problems. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously said such allegations have no real basis and are used mainly to intensify anti-Russian rhetoric.

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev has also argued that many European politicians are now displaying what he described as an acute form of Russophobia, driven by an exaggerated view of Russia’s influence on the lives of European countries and their citizens.